Things Chad Dylan Cooper Will Never Do
by lifeisveryshortsoami
Summary: An episode by episode account of things THE Chad Dylan Cooper would never do...Or, at least, that's what he thinks at first. There might be one person who can make him do the unthinkable.
1. Episode 1: Sketchy Beginnings

Episode #1:

Sketchy Beginnings

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Spy**

On the set of Mackenzie Falls, the hit tween drama that Chad Dylan Cooper was the star of, there was a hatred for the show which filmed at the same studio as them. Many shows filmed at the studio, but there was only one that Chad, the leader at Mackenzie Falls, led his cast against: So Random! Unlike the serious tone of Mackenzie Falls, So Random! was simply a comedy show. Everyone knew real actors could do more than make people laugh. Real actors could make their fans feel sad, or happy, or nervous, or whatever emotion the script desired.

Since the actors at Mackenzie Falls could pull off all the emotions, including laughter if needed, they were of course better actors than those on So Random! This was why Chad didn't bother himself with anything concerning the stupid comedy show.

It was Portlyn, a fellow actress on Mackenzie Falls, who slammed a magazine down in front of Chad one day during lunch. The blonde actor glared at his cast member.

"No one slams a magazine down when Chad Dylan Cooper is eating his lunch," he stated firmly. "Unless, of course, they're showing him an article about himself."

"You remember that comedy show So Random!, don't you? The show that's right under us in ratings?" Without waiting for an answer, Portlyn moved her hand, revealing the cover of the magazine. "They're getting a new actress."

"Why should I care about that?" Chad asked, not bothering to look down.

"Have you seen who the new actress is? Not only is she semi-cute, but she already has her own comedy thing online, which is how So Random! found her. Chad, she may be able to bring their show above Mackenzie Falls."

One thing Chad Dylan Cooper could not stand for was Mackenzie Falls getting beaten by some stupid comedy. Pushing his lunch aside, he finally turned his attention to the cover of the magazine.

One person's head took up the whole cover and in huge yellow letters it read, 'Allison "Sonny" Munroe Comes From Wisconsin To Star On The Hit Tween Comedy So Random!' The face of the actress, as much as Chad hated to admit it, was, as Portlyn said, semi-cute. She had a smile that seemed to brighten the picture, brown eyes, and matching brown hair.

Yes, Allison Munroe was cute, and she had to be funny in order to make it onto So Random! If she had her own comedy thing online, then she already had fans, fans that would probably start tuning in every week to follow her adventures on So Random! Her fans could bring the comedy show to the #1 spot in tween shows if Mackenzie Falls wasn't careful.

Unluckily for Sonny, Chad was a very careful sort of guy. He wasn't going to take any chances of letting his show get beat out. Pounding his fist over the new girls' face, Chad climbed to his feet.

"Portlyn, get ready to meet this so called Sonny Munroe," he ordered, turning to his co-star. "We're going to be there when she shows up at the So Random! set."

Portlyn, as pretty as she was, didn't always use her head. She studied Chad's face for several seconds before asking, "We're really going to meet her?"

"No, we're not going to really meet her; she has no right to know who we are," he declared, picking up the magazine and rolling it up so the brown eyes couldn't stare at him. "We'll be there when she shows up, but we'll be in the background."

"Oh." Portlyn was quiet as she thought. "So we're going to spy on the new girl."

"Chad Dylan Cooper doesn't spy on people!" He shook his head disapprovingly. "Spying is a sick and dirty thing to do, Portlyn. No, we are just going to watch the new girl and find out what about her is so great."

Finally getting the plan, Portlyn nodded her head. She held her hand out for the magazine, but instead of giving it back, Chad pretended not to see her hand. He walked past her and out of the cafeteria, heading straight for his dressing room.

Once he was safely in his room and the door was both shut and locked, Chad took a moment to study the cover of the magazine again. Saying Sonny was semi-cute was like saying he was only a good actor instead of a great one. She was very pretty, and unless she was either really fat or turned out to have one of those really annoying voices, he had a bad feeling she was going to bring in a lot of fans.

'I've got my eye on you, Munroe,' he promised himself, hiding the magazine in a drawer on his make-up desk. It would've been easy to just throw away the pages, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to carry it to the wastebasket. As he pushed the drawer shut, he thought, 'Maybe in more ways than you know.'

***********

A few days later, when Sonny Munroe was said to be arriving, Chad and Portlyn snuck over to the So Random! set. It wasn't too hard to get there; most of the actors were hiding out, not sure if they wanted to meet their new cast member or not. Chad was the one who spotted them in the hallway first, and he hid behind a wall, pulling Portlyn to a stop beside him. Once they were sure the actors were in their room with the door shut, they took off running.

Chad and Portlyn found a spot to hide behind one of the cameras. There was no one operating the camera since it wasn't a filming day, and the director of So Random!, a man named Marshall, had his back facing the Mackenzie Falls stars. Granted, it wasn't the best hiding place in the world, but it was good enough.

"There she is!" Portlyn whispered happily several moments after they reached their hiding spot. She punched Chad's shoulder lightly and coiled when he glared. "L-look over there. She's here."

"I have eyes, Portlyn," Chad hissed back. "Now shut up before they hear us!"

Two ladies were walking up to Marshall. One of them was the girl from the cover of the magazine, Miss Allison Munroe. The other, assumed Chad, was her mother.

As conversation started between the three people, Chad tuned out rather quickly. He didn't mean to tune out; he'd wanted to hear this conversation. He'd wanted to find out everything he could about Sonny Monroe so he could figure out exactly how much of a threat his show was in. Something kept him from being able to listen.

The picture on the cover of the magazine had been nothing compared to the girl standing a few feet away. She was much more beautiful in person, and as she smiled, Chad couldn't help but smile back. Her eyes seemed to shine as she laughed, that oh so adorable little laugh, and he noticed the way her hair seemed to bounce off her shoulder without her having to flip it. It was so long, so natural; her hair seemed almost as shiny as his was.

"Chad?" Portlyn whispered, bringing the blonde out of his thoughts. "Are you alright?"

No, Chad wasn't alright. He couldn't be feeling this way about someone on So Random! No matter how much he liked the brown haired girl, no matter how beautiful she was, he couldn't let himself fall under her spell. She was his enemy whether he wanted her to be or not. It was just the way things were, the way they had been and always would be.

Besides, he was Chad Dylan Cooper. Chad Dylan Cooper could have any girl he wanted. Chad Dylan Cooper didn't fall in love at first sight. Did he even believe in it to begin with?

Regardless of what he believed, Chad stepped out from behind the camera and, quietly so no one would hear him, started to head toward the hallway. When Portlyn realized he was leaving, she followed him quickly, not saying a word after he put his finger to his lips, signaling her to be quiet. Until they were safely in the hallway, Chad kept his finger where it was.

"That's it?" Portlyn demanded the second he no longer told her not to talk. "We're done spying on the new girl already? But we didn't even figure anything out yet!"

"She's going to be here for awhile, Portlyn," Chad replied, not bothering to turn around and face her. "We'll have plenty of time to find out about Sonny. Now, leave Chad Dylan Cooper alone so he can think about how to make sure nothing happens to Mackenzie Falls."

With a sad look on her face, Portlyn walked around Chad and went down the hallway by herself, going back to the Mackenzie Falls set. Chad waited until she had turned down another hall before he walked backward. He had to see Sonny one last time before he left.

When he poked his head around the wall's corner, Chad could see Marshall slipping an arm over both of the ladies' shoulders and pushing them off in the opposite direction. He was too late. Sonny had his back to him; he wasn't going to get another chance to see her face.

Sighing loudly, Chad was just starting to turn around when a movement caught his eye. The brown hair was swinging again, only this time, it wasn't moving on its own. Sonny's head was turned and looking in his direction.

For a split second, the brown eyes met the blue.

Chad Dylan Cooper followed Portlyn's path as he continued down the hallway, whistling as he went. He hadn't been spying on Allison Monroe, so he didn't feel guilty about her seeing him. There was nothing wrong with trying to meet someone he hoped one day would be his friend.


	2. Episode 2: West Coast Story

Episode #2:

West Coast Story

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Get Tricked**

It was a long day. Sonny and Chad met for the first time, the actress called a peace picnic, Chad tried to convince her to let the two shows stay rivals, and then everything ended with the game of Musical Chairs. At first, Chad couldn't believe he was actually being asked to compete in such a childish game; he hadn't played it since he was a young boy. But something about the way Sonny begged him, the way she made the bet and seemed to know exactly what she was talking about……

Well, how could he say no to that?

He had to give the girl props. As the newest member of So Random!, she wasn't just trying to make friends with the rest of her cast but also with his. He had no idea why she was trying so hard. Did it really matter if the two shows could act friendly with each other or not?

Chad didn't see a reason to become friends with the other cast. To be honest, he didn't see it ever happening. But Sonny was trying so hard to make it work out. Besides, even if he couldn't imagine being friends with her four other cast mates, Chad could see a friendship between himself and Sonny. He was Chad Dylan Cooper and would never admit to liking the brown haired girl, but there was something different about her.

It wasn't like she gave him much of a choice when it came to the Musical Chairs challenge. Not only did she offer up a bet, but she also called him a chicken. Calling Chad Dylan Cooper a chicken wasn't allowed, not even for pretty girls.

The cast of Mackenzie Falls laughed when Chad told them about the challenge. He laughed along with them and told them not to worry about losing. How could they lose a game as simple as that? Sure enough, when it was time to play, his cast was doing great. In the end though, So Random! started to catch up. Sonny was the last one left and it came down to her and Chad.

They walked around the chair, each of them keeping a hand on it, as though just touching it would be enough to win. Chad tried to keep his eyes trained on hers so he would know if she tried to trick him (how could you trick someone when playing Musical Chairs anyway?), but just like the first time he saw her, he kept looking at her hair. It was up this time, but enough of it was still down that it seemed to flow around her face as she walked, glaring at the teen heartthrob like there was no tomorrow.

Was the competition still about becoming friends? Did Sonny still want peace between the two shows or was winning all that mattered to her now? Chad didn't really care either way. Whether he was friends with Sonny or not, they had lunch together every day and he could talk to her whether she wanted to talk back or not. He didn't care about the little peace treaty. All he cared about was winning the game.

Just as the music came to a stop, Chad knew he was the winner. His body was stopped right in front of the chair, and he was getting ready to sit down when-

Sonny fell to the floor, clutching her ankle.

Chad wasn't sure what to do. His fellow cast mates stared at him, wondering why he hadn't taken advantage of the girl and won the game. Part of him wanted to sit down and claim the victory for Mackenzie Falls. On the other hand, it wouldn't be right to win just because Sonny was hurt. There was no doubt in his mind that the girl was hurt. She held her leg out at an angle, gripping her ankle. Her brown eyes stared at him, brimmed with sadness. She, along with his cast, thought he was going to take advantage and win the game.

Some things were more important than winning. Without hesitation, Chad extended his hand toward the girl sitting on the floor, offering to help her to her feet.

In the short amount of time he had before Sonny slipped her hand into his, Chad thought he saw something cross her face. Her sad eyes changed the moment she had his hand and her lips moved silently. What did she mouth? 'I hate you'? 'Sorry'? Chad had no idea what she said. All he knew was one second he was on his feet, the next in Sonny's spot, watching as she sat in the chair.

"Peace out, suckers!" she exclaimed, using Chad's own line against him.

It wasn't the first time during the game she used a line he had said to her before. To be honest, it thrilled him a little bit to hear her say his words back to him. It meant she really did listen to him. Maybe her hatred for Mackenzie Falls wasn't as deep as the rest of the So Random! cast.

Although it thrilled him for a moment to hear Sonny say his line, Chad didn't stay happy for long. He watched as the rest of the So Random! cast hugged Sonny; was that a sad look she sent in his direction?

Realizing he was still on the floor, Chad scrambled to his feet quickly, shouting, "You tricked me!"

"No," Sonny replied, bringing her hands to her face so she could brush her hair away in what she probably thought was an imitation of Chad. "I was acting."

Chad deserved that one. He'd made fun of her acting earlier, although he really had no business to. He hadn't watched an episode of So Random! since she joined the cast and therefore was judging her acting by her conversations. He wasn't right to make fun of her and he realized that as he offered her a spot on Mackenzie Falls.

He wasn't surprised when she said she was going to stay on her show in Chuckle City (once again, she used his words). He pretended to be hurt by her decision, but since the game was over, the cast of Mackenzie Falls was leaving. With one last look at Sonny, Chad followed them out of the room.

Sonny was a lot smarter than he'd given her credit for. No, she hadn't tricked him into thinking she'd hurt her ankle. She was only doing an amazing acting job. No one had ever tricked Chad Dylan Cooper and in the future, no one was going to.

For the first and only time, Sonny Munroe got the best of Chad Dylan Cooper. He would make sure the incident would never be talked about again.

Well, he would make sure of it after his end of the bet was completed, anyway.

***********

The cast of So Random! gathered together. Sonny was still new and trying to make friends with everyone. Things had been going better since she'd led them to victory in Musical Chairs. As the five of them sat in the props room, she couldn't help but smile along with them. For the first time, they were watching Mackenzie Falls.

Even though she'd never say it out loud, Sonny was happy to have an excuse to watch the show rivaling hers. Not only did she want to know what the big deal was about Mackenzie Falls and why everyone on it seemed to think they were better than the rest of the world, but she wanted to see Chad Dylan Cooper in action.

Chad Dylan Cooper, the boy who thought he was the greatest actor on the face of the planet. Sonny sighed every time she thought about him. She'd never met anyone so conceited in her life.

"He's always been like that," Tawni Hart explained to Sonny once. "We've never really had to deal with it until now though."

"What do you mean?" Sonny had asked, looking as confused as she felt. "I thought Mackenzie Falls and So Random! have been fighting since the two shows starting filming."

"They have," Tawni replied, nodding her head. "Lately, Chad's been talking to us a lot more than usual. He's not always as annoying as he has been since you arrived."

The conversation had confused Sonny. Why would Chad start bothering her cast more since she had arrived? It didn't make any sense. It wasn't like he liked her or anything. He was Chad Dylan Cooper, the heartthrob of millions of girls all around the world. Besides, most of the time when he talked to her, it was just to degrade her.

If he wasn't talking because he liked her and yet he usually left the So Random! cast alone, why was he acting different now?

Sonny was forced to stop thinking about Chad and his reasons of being annoying when Mackenzie Falls came back from commercial break. She wouldn't have noticed the show was back if she hadn't been staring at the screen. When his blonde head appeared, she was forced to pay attention. She was always forced to pay attention when she saw him.

"'Look, Portlyn, summer's almost over and once fall comes back to the falls…I need to be free.'"

Chad wasn't lying about being a good actor. He wasn't as great as he made himself sound, but as Sonny watched the scene, she let her mouth hang open. He made it seem believable, like the conversation was really happening. She was actually getting caught up in the moment.

As the scene continued to play, Sonny had to force herself to not get too caught up. This was a one time thing. She wasn't going to start watching Mackenzie Falls every week. Not only would she get too much Chad that way, but her own cast mates, who she was finally starting to get along with, would probably shun her. No, she was watching the show for one reason, and one reason only.

Ok, two if you counted the fact she wanted to know what was so special about Mackenzie Falls. One if you counted just the reason the whole So Random! cast was watching the episode together.

"'Shh,"' 'Mackenzie' said, and Sonny shushed her thoughts, knowing the moment was about to come. "The time for talking is over because..." Chad turned his attention directly to the camera. "So Random! is on. It's my favorite show."

Everyone around Sonny started cheering. She joined in, wanting to fit in with everyone. She joined them in clanking their cups of yogurt together and shouting insulting things at the TV about Chad.

Deep down, beneath her smile and shouts of joy, Sonny felt guilty. If she hadn't tricked Chad by pretending to hurt herself during the game of Musical Chairs, things would've been a lot different. He wouldn't be the one admitting So Random! as his favorite show. So Random! would be admitting their favorite show was Mackenzie Falls. Because of her not so nice trick, no one would ever know who really would've won the game.

Which show was the real loser?

The guilt started eating away at Sonny and she knew something had to be done about it. As the rest of her cast continued their celebration, she got to her feet, throwing the rest of her yogurt away.

"Why'd you do that?!" Grady exclaimed, making Sonny jump about a foot in the air. She didn't think anyone was watching her. "If you didn't want the rest of your food, you at least could've offered it to me!"

"Oh, sorry," Sonny apologized, not really paying attention as she made her way toward the door. "Well, I'm getting tired. I think I'm going to head home."

"You're leaving already?" Nico asked. His voice sounded sad.

"Let her go if she wants, Nico," Tawni said, rolling her eyes. "She stayed and watched the show with us. And look on the bright side, I'm still here…And I'm still pretty!"

Everyone sighed loudly except for Tawni, who always seemed to be in a good mood after telling herself how pretty she was. Sonny didn't stay long enough to hear anything else. She had to leave before she changed her mind about what she knew she had to do.

It wasn't her first time going to the set of Mackenzie Falls, but it was her first time going at night. Would Chad even still be around? Of course the show wouldn't be filming right now, as it had been last time she showed up. Would anyone be on the set or would everyone be gone?

Mackenzie Falls was quiet. There was a janitor mopping one of the stages, but he didn't hear Sonny since he had earphones in. She walked past him, not needing his help to find what she was looking for.

Chad's door had a huge golden star on it that read CHAD DYLAN COOPER in all capital letters. Rolling her eyes, Sonny raised her fist, ready to knock. Before she could do it, her arm fell back to her side. What was she doing here? Chad didn't need an apology from her. What was done was done. There was no use in talking to him.

Her fist rose into the air again. Yes, there was a reason to talk to Chad. She'd tricked him during the game, and even though he'd done worse things to her, letting her mistake go without saying how sorry she was would be just as bad as he was.

If there was one thing Sonny Munroe wasn't, it was Chad Dylan Cooper. No way was she going to slip down to his level.

With a determined look on her face, Sonny pounded on the door.

"Come in," his voice answered.

Sonny pushed open the door enough to let herself in, shutting it softly behind her. The room was bigger than the dressing room she and Tawni shared, and her mouth fell open at first, but she shut it quickly. She wasn't here to complain. She was here to apologize.

Chad was sitting on a stool so he could look into a huge mirror with lights surrounding it on all sides. Had she really expected anything different? When she didn't say anything, he moved slightly on his stool, trying to see her reflection. He turned to face her, surprise on his face.

"Sonny," he stated her name, as though both of them didn't already know it. "What are you doing here?"

She put her hands together nervously, twining them and untwining them, as she took a deep breath. This was going to be harder than she thought.

"I came to talk to you about the other day, when we played Musical Chairs-,"

"Forget about it, Sonny. I lived up to my end of the bet. It's done."

He turned his back to her again, facing his mirror. When her reflection continued to stand in his room, glancing at the floor, he sighed loudly before turning to face her.

"Is there something else, Sonny?"

"I'm sorry."

The two words seemed to hang in the air, floating there, lingering, instead of traveling straight to Chad's ears. Sonny avoided his eyes, keeping hers firmly on the ground like she was stuck in some sort of trance. It was his voice that finally broke the silence.

"What?"

"Please don't make me say it again," Sonny begged, finally meeting Chad's eyes. Like on her first day at the studio, Chad felt a spark pass between them. He shrugged it off. "Look, Chad, I'm sorry for tricking you during the game. If I would've stayed true and played fair, there might've been a totally different outcome. Now we'll never know who the real winner was and…and…I'm sorry."

By the end of her speech, Sonny looked as though she was about to burst into tears at any second. Chad didn't understand. Did she really think he was mad at her? Did it matter if he was?

"Really, Sonny? Really?" It was all he could think of to say. It worked; Sonny met his eyes again. "You don't have anything to apologize for. You were acting, not tricking. No one tricks Chad Dylan Cooper."

That line got a smile out of her. An idea forming in his head, Chad stood up from his stool, grabbed the bottom of it, and pulled it to the middle of the room. Sonny watched him, questioning his motive but not saying a word. If he wanted to explain it to her, he would.

Sure enough, Chad let go of the stool and stood on one side of it so he was facing Sonny. He could feel the smile on his face, but he tried to hide it as he explained his idea.

"If you feel so bad about the first round of Musical Chairs, let's play again."

Sonny looked back and forth from the stool to Chad's face. Slowly, the same smile he could feel on his lips overtook hers as well.

"What's the bet?"

"There's no bet this time. Whichever of us wins officially works on the best show at Condor Studios. Deal?"

He extended his hand across the stool. Taking a few steps closer, Sonny slipped her hand into his.

"Deal," she confirmed. Then, as she remembered the rules to Musical Chairs, "Wait, how are you going to do the music and-,"

Chad clapped his hands. The lights on his mirror turned off, a disco ball lowered from the ceiling, and music started playing through the room. Sonny seemed astonished at first, but she let her mouth close again as she looked at Chad, shaking her head.

"You Mackenzie Falls people don't know how good you have it," she said. Without giving him a chance to remark, she asked, "How is the music going to stop? If you just clap, then you can do that anytime you want and I'll be the loser for sure."

"The music doesn't stay on until I clap again," Chad replied. "I always used to forget to turn it off, so now it's on a timer. I don't know how long the timer's set for. I've never paid that close of attention. When it shuts off, it'll be a surprise to both of us."

The answer seemed to satisfy Sonny. She was smiling cockily as she said, "Are you sure you're ready for this, Cooper?"

"Bring it on, Munroe."

With that, they started circling the stool.

It was a long game. The stool was small and Chad and Sonny were both starting to get dizzy after walking around it so many times. They kept their determined looks on but didn't talk to each other as they had during the first game. Everything had been for show then, to prove to their casts they really didn't like each other. There was no one to prove anything to now. It was one against one in a contest no one but the two of them would ever know about.

Finally, the music stopped. Neither teen realized it at first, their ears so attuned to the noise, but when they snapped out of their trances, they both lunged for the stool at once. Unlike the chairs they played with before, the stool had no back and wasn't as sturdy on its legs. With two teenagers clawing at once, the stool had no chance. It fell to the ground, bringing Chad and Sonny with it.

Chad and Sonny both landed on their backs, the stool thudding between them. Chad looked over at Sonny; Sonny looked over at Chad. She was smiling, a smile just like the first one he'd ever seen her give. She was trying not to laugh.

"I guess this means we both work on the best show," Chad said, returning Sonny's smile.

"Fine," she agreed.

"Fine," he repeated.

"Good."

"Good."

Laughing softly, Sonny climbed to her feet, offering Chad a hand. He took it, letting her help him up even though he easily could've done it alone. They both picked up the stool. Once it was back on its feet, Sonny headed toward the door, opening it quickly. She stopped long enough to face Chad one last time.

"So, we're good?" she asked, tilting her head slightly to the side.

"Oh, we're so good," he replied.

Sonny smiled, giggled in an extremely girly way, and exited the dressing room. It would be a night neither Chad nor Sonny would forget anytime soon.


	3. Episode 3: Sonny at the Falls

As most of you know, this is the first story I've ever submitted to . For those of you who have added my story to your favorite list, thank you so much!! Thank you also for all the comments. I look forward to reading them and, since this is the first time I've ever had strangers read one of my stories, I would love to hear whatever you guys have to say about it, good or bad. If no one comments, then I'll take that as a sign my writing has gone downhill and I will stop posting new chapters.

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Sonny With a Chance

Episode #3:

Sonny at the Falls

**Chad Dylan Cooper Always Gets What He Wants**

His worst nightmare was coming true: Sonny was bringing in more and more viewers to So Random! Slowly, their ratings were going up as Mackenzie Falls started to fall. That wasn't acceptable.

It wasn't like Chad couldn't understand why new viewers were tuning in because of Sonny. She was too pretty to be on TV, her smile made you smile along even if you didn't want to, and she was a good actress. If he was a normal teenage boy instead of the star of his own show, he defiantly would've been tuning in to So Random! every week.

But he wasn't a normal teenage boy and he did have his own show. Who cared how cute Sonny was. He was Chad Dylan Cooper. He was hot, blonde, and a much better actor than the silly comedians. Were he and his fellow cast mates the only people who saw it that way? Was the rest of the world going crazy by thinking comedy was actually better than drama? When had the world become such a messed up place?

That was an easy question to answer: the world became messed up when little Sonny Munroe left her home town and joined the other young actors and actresses at Condor Studios. She could make the world laugh without meaning to. Would it really be so hard to cry once in awhile as well?

There had to be a solution, something that could bring Mackenzie Falls back to the top again. Chad found that answer sitting alone at the So Random! lunch table.

Sonny sat there, looking depressed. Something was wrong in Chuckle City and Chad was going to find out what. Of course he wasn't going to tell Sonny everything was going to be okay and convince her to make up with her new friends. No, he would bring her to the dark side. Whatever her problem was, he would use it to convert her over to Mackenzie Falls. With Sonny Munroe on his show, Chad knew So Random! would never be the number one show. Without Sonny, the Randoms were just a bunch of geeks. Their show would be cancelled before they knew what was happening.

To make a long story short, Sonny went to Mackenzie Falls, her cast apologized, and she joined them again, no questions asked. Chad would never admit it, but he was sad to see Sonny go. Not only would she have brought the ratings up, but while she was on his set, he grew used to her company. He liked being able to see Sonny every day and having a chance to talk to her other than simple cafeteria conversation. If he wasn't mistaken, Sonny felt the same way he did. Even as she left the Mackenzie Falls set, she glanced at him over her shoulder, her brown eyes sad. He hated seeing her sad. It was the worse sight in the world.

Chad knew it was partly his fault Sonny was sad as she walked away that day. After all, he could still remember the conversation they had before her cast stole as much as they could from the set and ran away:

"'Sure you do,"' Portlyn said, referring to Chad's plan, which he tried to deny, shaking his head back and forth quickly. "'He planned to keep you guys fighting with each other so Mackenzie Falls can stay number one."'

"'Please,"' Chad begged her, "'Don't talk without a script."'

"'So you were just pretending to be my friend?"' Sonny asked, bringing Chad's attention to her instead of Portlyn.

Chad didn't know what to do. Portlyn thought everything was just a plan to bring Mackenzie Falls to the number one spot because that was all he told her. The truth was, even though the plan had started out as that, Chad was enjoying having Sonny on the set and had been treating her as a real friend near the end.

But he couldn't admit to that. If he said that, everyone would know he had a crush on Sonny Munroe. That was something no one ever needed to know.

"'Ok…Yeah. I saw an opportunity and I knocked,"' he said, looking right at Sonny as he said it.

"'Well, guess what? I'm knocking back and I'm sticking with my real friends!"'

Her words did sting, and every time Chad thought back to them, he pictured the look on her face as she said them. It hurt him to see the look in her eyes, even if no one else noticed it. She was an actress; she could hide her emotions well. But he was an actor, an actor who was better than her and could see through her shield.

The smile he saw on her face wasn't there anymore. She looked at him with nothing but hatred all the time. He knew he deserved it. It was a horrible trick, making someone think they were your friend. All Chad wanted was to keep Mackenzie Falls the number one show. He didn't want to lose a friend over it.

Part of Chad wanted to go and apologize to Sonny as she'd done for him. Whenever he thought about it, he talked himself out of it by saying it was a stupid idea, he didn't need Sonny anyway, he had a million other friends. But then he'd take out the magazine he still had hidden in his dressing room and he'd stare at her face, remembering when she'd given him that smile and how sad she'd look when she knocked on his door and the smile she gave after the second round of Musical Chairs.

He was thinking about that Sonny when he made his way over to the So Random! set. It wasn't a filming day, so it didn't take Chad long to find the cast. All five of them sat together in one room, notebooks out as though they were brainstorming ideas for their next show. The door was left open and Chad stood in the frame, not saying a word.

It was the strange younger girl (Zora, perhaps?) who finally spotted Chad standing in the doorway. She was facing him and she fell silent quickly, glaring at him. At first, Chad didn't understand why she was glaring at him (wasn't Sonny the mad one?), but then he remembered how most friends worked. When one was mad, they were all mad.

Nico, sitting next to Zora and also facing Chad, was the next one to look up when he noticed his friend being quiet. He followed her gaze, spotted the blonde boy, and narrowed his eyes.

"Sonny," he said, nodding toward the door.

Sonny had her back to the door, and she turned around in her chair, wondering who or what had her friends acting so strange. There are no words to describe the look she gave Chad. Without a word, she turned back to her friends, giving him the cold shoulder.

Of course, he took that as an invite into the room.

"Chad Dylan Cooper," Grady said, his voice angry. "What are you doing here?!"

"You're not welcome here," Tawni agreed, letting a scowl cross her pretty face.

"Evil!" Zora added in, still glaring.

For her part, all Sonny did was sit in her chair, not looking up at Chad or saying a word to him. Usually she was loud and full of energy. Chad had never seen her look so down before. It killed him knowing it was his fault.

He walked up to Sonny's chair, ignoring the rest of her friends. She was a good actress, but she wasn't blind. She could pretend she couldn't see him all she wanted, but he knew the truth.

"Sonny." There was no response. "Please talk to me."

"So," she said, and for a second, Chad's heart skipped in joy. "I was thinking maybe we could do a sketch about-,"

"A teen heartthrob who made a huge mistake and feels very sorry for it?"

"Never mind," Sonny mumbled under her breath. Chad had a feeling she was trying hard to pretend she hadn't heard him. "I'm out of ideas."

This wasn't working. Sonny knew how to hold a grudge. She wasn't going to forgive him for his actions unless he did something about it. Obviously, standing there behind her invisible wall wasn't doing any good. There had to be another way.

Chad looked around the room, meeting eyes with each cast member one by one.

"I know all of you dislike me, especially at this moment, but you trust me not to rape or kidnap or harm you guys in any way, right?" he asked.

"Why would you-," Nico started to say.

"Great," Chad cut him off, taking that as a yes. "In that case, I need to borrow Sonny for a minute."

Before anyone could stop him, Chad scooped Sonny into his arms. He kept one arm behind her back and the other beneath her knees, but he could've easily carried her with one hand. Didn't the girl ever eat?? She finally started talking, more so screaming, to him as he carried her out of the room, leaving her cast mates dumbfounded.

"Put me down right now, Chad, or I'm calling the police!" Sonny threatened, her cell phone already in her hand. "You can't just pick me up and carry me away, there are laws against stuff like that-,"

As she went on ranting, Chad sat her down in the hallway, went back to the room her friends were in, and shut the door. He wasn't stupid; he knew all four of them would be listening at the door. Still, having it shut made him feel a little bit better. At least they couldn't see what was happening and therefore couldn't be witnesses if Sonny followed through with her threat.

She was still yelling at the top of her lungs when Chad went back to Sonny. Her cell phone was still out, the three digit number on her screen, which she kept shoving into his face, saying if he tried anything, she was hitting the send button. He stood there patiently, waiting for her to be quiet. Yelling at her would just make her yell even more and he'd be too mad to apologize by the end of it. It was better just to wait.

It took several minutes, but Sonny finally stopped yelling. She kept her cell phone out and pointed in Chad's direction, but at least she clamped down her jaw. Chad was thankful for the silence. He was starting to get a headache.

"I don't say this very often, Sonny, so I'd appreciate it if you'd listen to me," he started out. When he couldn't think of anything else to say, he sighed. "I'm sorry."

He looked into her eyes, wondering if he was forgiven. She glared back, her face not softening at all. He was confused. Shouldn't she be hugging him by now, saying all was forgiven?

"You call that an apology?"

Her words surprised him, caught him off guard. "Yes…Isn't that what 'I'm sorry' usually means?"

"Who would've guessed," Sonny laughed, not her golden laugh, but a harder, more so forced, laugh. "Chad Dylan Cooper, the greatest actor of our generation, never learned how to apologize."

Chad stared at her, his mouth hanging open. Now it was his turn to be angry.

"Sonny Munroe, I have no idea what you're talking about, I've apologized before and the one I just gave you was among my best!"

"Really, Chad? Really?"

Now she was using his lines against him?! This wasn't fair, he'd only come in the first place to try to be nice, but she was taking it too far. She wasn't letting him off the hook but was instead trying to dig him a deeper hole. He thought about leaving and letting Sonny stay mad at him.

As though she could read his thoughts, Sonny reached out for his arm, grabbing it as he turned his back to her. A shock went through his body and he couldn't stop his feet from shuffling back to her direction.

How had she gotten such a strong hold on him? He'd only known her for a few weeks and already she could make him do anything she wanted. He was wrapped around her finger; didn't the fact he really wanted to apologize prove that?

"I'll forgive you if that's really the best you have," Sonny said, her hand still clutching his arm, "But I wish you'd try a little harder."

"Try a little harder?" he repeated slowly, trying to make her words make sense. "Sonny, I don't-,"

"Remember when I apologized to you after Musical Chairs?" she cut him off. Normally, he would yell at someone for doing that, but he bit back his tongue this time. "I tried telling you what I was sorry for."

Her eyes met his for the first time since they'd entered the hallway.

"I'm sorry for pretending to be your friend just to help Mackenzie Falls," he said, searching her eyes. Had he finally said enough?

Sonny opened her mouth like she was going to say something else, but she closed it and shook her head back and forth. For the first time in a long time, she gave him the smile he had missed.

"Thank you, Chad," she said, her voice soft. "You're forgiven."

The two teens stood in the hallway, staring at each other. Chad wasn't sure what the look in Sonny's eyes meant. Was she asking for something more? Could she possibly be thinking the same thing he was: how nice it would be to share a first kiss?

But, of course, that would never happen. Even if the two of them weren't fighting, their shows were, and both casts would kill them if the two of them ever got together. Chad couldn't risk it, no matter how much he wanted to lean down and do it. It would be so easy; he and Sonny were alone and she was no longer mad at him. All he had to do was bend over….

Chad turned on his heels before he could give in to his desire, wanting to get as far away from Sonny as he could. He was halfway down the hall when he heard her say his name. He turned back to face her.

"Chad…Were you lying the whole time I was at Mackenzie Falls?" Her voice sounded small like she was a child afraid of asking her question. "Sometimes it seemed like, I don't know, you really wanted – I mean, if you didn't, then that's alright, but I-,"

Ah, yes, there was the Sonny he missed. She was back to her old stuttering, nervous self. Something clicked inside him as though he couldn't be whole unless she was, like they were linked somehow together in a way neither of them understood. Now that she was back to normal, he could go back to caring about himself instead of her feelings. He smiled as he answered her question.

"Let's just say that you're welcome on the set of Mackenzie Falls," he said, watching as her smile reappeared. "Don't be afraid to stop by anytime you wish, Munroe."

As he turned to walk away again, he heard her say one little word:

"Good."

Smiling, he turned back to face her one last time, continuing down the hallway backwards.

"So, we're good then?" he shouted down the hall.

"Oh, we are so good," she shouted back.

Chad stayed facing her a second too long. He didn't notice as a door opened and Marshall came out, studying papers. Both of them fell to the floor, the papers flying everywhere. As Chad quickly tried to help pick up, he stole a glance at Sonny long enough to see her laugh and run toward her friends before Marshall could see she wasn't where she was supposed to be. Chad chuckled as he went back to picking up papers.

He could always trust his Sonny to never get in trouble. After all, she was the good girl. He was the bad boy. It was one of the many, many reasons they could never be together.

But he could still dream.


	4. Episode 4: You've Got Fan Mail

Sorry if I seemed a little harsh in the last chapter. I understand wanting to read without bothering with comments. I do that most of the time myself. Thank you for taking the time to read it, though!! Most of you have probably already seen all the episodes, so if you think there's too much review in my story let me know because most of the chapters here on out will have recaps like this one. I tried to add in what Sonny and Chad were thinking during the episode so you wouldn't be reading a bunch of dialog you already know.

Disclaimer: I still don't own any part of Sonny With a Chance

Episode #4:

You've Got Fan Mail

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Care About Anyone Unless It Is Chad Dylan Cooper**

Sonny had her offer to come over to the Falls whenever she wanted to, but if she would've gone, Chad wouldn't have been there for her to talk to. In a twist of events, he ended up on her set instead. The first time Sonny saw him milling around, she seemed surprised.

"'Chad? What are you doing, and why are you doing it over here at So Random! ?"' she asked, following him as he walked in the opposite direction as her.

"'Well, I'm not just the star of Mackenzie Falls, America's number one top tween drama,"' he replied, letting out a 'duh, isn't that obvious?' laugh. "'I also got a part in a movie."'

That was news to Sonny. The already big-headed Chad Dylan Cooper not only had his own television show, but now he had his own movie as well? She pretended that didn't bother her as she asked her next question.

"'Hmm. I still don't know why you're here."'

"'I'm playing a mail delivery guy,"' Chad explained, stepping closer to Sonny like that would make his point clearer. "'He works at a high powered law firm. It's a small but crucial role."'

He went on to explain, finally, what he was doing on the So Random! set. He was following around the mail delivery guy, whom he apparently didn't even know the name of. Not feeling jealous about Chad's stupid movie (she'd take knowing someone's name over playing a small role in a movie any day), Sonny nodded her head.

"'Well, good luck,"' she said before turning to walk away.

"'Thank you,"' Chad called to her retreating back.

She stopped walking long enough to glare at him. "'I was talking to Josh."'

She'd never admit it, but her words had really been for both of them. She walked away before Chad could figure that out. She never saw the glare he sent after her.

It was definitely a new experience being on the So Random! set. While Mackenzie Falls' cast spent time together, it was usually quietly rehearsing their lines or sitting in the meditation room, trying to calm down before having to act. Apparently comedy had a different approach. Everywhere he looked, there was some sort of nonsense taking place.

The weirdest thing of all Chad encountered happened when he and the mail delivery guy were together and someone ran past them, wearing a red hoodie, a cast on each arm, and a very weird beard. The person ran up from nowhere, ran into the back of Chad, and forced him forward. If he hadn't been standing in front of a desk, he would've fallen to the floor.

"'Sorry,"' the person said quickly.

Chad studied the person for a few seconds. Something seemed…….familiar about them.

"'Do I know you?"' he asked thoughtfully.

The person stood there nervously for several moments, obviously trying to come up with some sort of lie. Chad waited, still trying to figure out where he had seen them before.

"'Nobody knows me,"' they finally replied, stepping around the desk. They turned back to Chad one last time. "'No one will ever know me!"'

Without another word, the person took off running down the hall. Chad turned his attention to the wall, where there was a huge painting of Sonny. He studied its face, wondering if………

He shook the thought out of his head quickly. Sonny wasn't dressed up as someone else. She was a good actress, but she wasn't good enough to fool her entire cast.

Chad Dylan Cooper was proved wrong. He met up with Sonny again during the filming of her show, but she was backstage, quickly setting a box on top of a table. When she saw Chad approaching, she tried to hide the box, but she wasn't fast enough. He saw the red hoodie and knew the truth.

"'I knew I recognized you,"' he said happily as she tried stuffing all the supplies back into the box. "'You're Weird Beard."'

It didn't take much to prod Sonny into explaining the story. The girl did love to talk, after all.

"'Well, I sent myself a fan letter, pretended to be my own fan, and now I get to go out on stage and meet the fan that I'm pretending to be!"'

She went on to explain that she sent the letter in the first place because she lost faith in her acting. Chad couldn't really blame her for that; he probably would've felt the same way if he didn't receive the hundreds of fan letters he received every week. Still, his conversation with Sonny didn't go so well. She ended up getting mad at him (again) and pushing past him to get back to her show.

"'Now excuse me,"' she said as she walked past him, taking a deep breath, "'While I go out there and embarrass myself."'

Her only mistake was leaving all of Weird Beard's things on the table.

Chad couldn't explain why he slipped into the costume. He didn't know what he was doing or his motive behind it, but when Eric, the name Sonny had given her fan, was called onto the So Random! stage, he went out. It was worth it just to see the smile on Sonny's face.

Once the crowd was clapping and no one could hear what Sonny said, she started talking to Chad softly.

"'Why are you helping me?"'

"'I'm not helping you. I just wanted to try on the weird beard."'

Of course Sonny was too smart for that excuse.

"'Sounds like somebody cares,"' she said cockily.

"'Somebody wanted to try on a weird beard,"' Chad argued, pausing between his words. Why could Sonny make him so nervous?

"'Cares."'

"'Beard."'

"'Cares."'

"'Beard."'

"'Cares."'

"'Beard."'

"'Beard."'

"'Cares."'

Too late Chad noticed Sonny changed the words. She gave him an 'I told you so' look as he shook his head. He had to start paying closer attention when he was around her. Sooner or later, he was going to slip up and say something he'd regret.

Chad stayed on the So Random! stage for a long time, trying to ignore the glare Tawni was sending in his direction. She knew he wasn't really the first person to write Sonny a fan letter, but if he had anything to do with it, she wouldn't find out it was really Chad Dylan Cooper. Once the applauding was over and the camera off, he took off as fast as he could. He had to find someplace where he could change out of the costume without anyone seeing him.

"In here," a voice said from behind him, scaring him at first. He hadn't realized anyone was following. To his surprise, it was Sonny at his side. She grabbed his arm and dragged him into a room, slamming the door behind them.

"Where are we?" Chad asked, taking a look at his new surroundings.

"My dressing room," Sonny replied, still leaning against the door as she locked it. "Actually, it's Tawni's dressing room, too, and she'll probably be here any minute to change. We have to get you back to Chad before she shows up."

It wasn't the first time Chad had been in the dressing room, but it was the first time Sonny had invited him inside. He had permission to look around instead of just glancing at a few things before getting kicked out. As Sonny started trying to get the fake casts off his arms, he took advantage of her busy eyes.

The room was small for two people; his was bigger and he was the only one to use it. It was easy to tell Sonny's side of the room from Tawni's. The blonde girl had pictures of herself everywhere and make-up left out anywhere there was room. Sonny, on the other hand, had pictures up of the rest of the So Random! cast and people who Chad had never seen before. He wondered if she would put up a picture of him if she had one.

"We seem to have a problem."

Looking away from the pictures, Chad turned his attention to Sonny, wondering what was wrong.

His heart literally started racing.

Sonny was closer to Chad than he could ever remember her being. There were only inches, if even that, between his body and hers. He couldn't really move with the casts on his arms so he couldn't have pulled Sonny any closer, but he had a feeling he would've fainted if his hands were free. If he could use his fingers to brush a strand of that pretty hair behind her ear, take his arm and wrap it around her waist……

Sonny was standing inside the circle Chad's arms made, her back to him. She was so close, if she took one step backward, she would be standing against his chest. His heart was racing; as he leaned forward, he could smell the sweet scent of her perfume. Didn't she have the decency to put on something that didn't drive him wild?

"W-What problem may that be?"

Nothing got by Sonny Munroe. She heard the stutter in Chad's voice and turned to face him, ready to rub it in his face that the famous Chad Dylan Cooper could get as nervous as anyone. When she turned to say her comment though, her mouth clamped shut quickly. For the first time, she realized how close to him she really was.

The room was silent as the two teens stood there, neither of them daring to look away from each other. Sonny knew the right thing to do was step away from Chad, but for some reason, her feet didn't listen when she told them to move. Chad Dylan Cooper, _the _Chad Dylan Cooper, was much too close to her, and yet, he wasn't pushing her away.

If she wasn't mistaken, he was moving in closer, the gap between their faces becoming smaller and smaller with each passing second.

"The casts are stuck," Sonny said, turning her head at the last possible moment. "Your arms must be better built than mine or………..something."

Chad was able to stop himself before ending up with a mouthful of Sonny's hair. Normally he would've been depressed if a girl had turned him down for a kiss, but in this case, he was happy about it. He had no reason to be kissing Sonny and both of them knew it.

Besides, even if he thought he was in love with her, he couldn't be right. He'd only known Sonny for a short period of time. No one fell in love that fast. The last thing he needed was to be kissing someone he didn't have feelings for.

But did she really have to stay so close?

"That does seem slightly problematic," he said, getting over the rejected kiss quickly. "I can't leave your dressing room wearing this. People will get suspicious."

"I don't know," Sonny replied, taking that extra step back so she was against Chad's chest. "I kind of like you with two broken arms. You're much more…easy-going this way."

Had she changed her mind? Was she giving him another chance to kiss her? She was staring up at him again, that smile he loved on her lips, and he wanted nothing more than to know what it felt like to kiss her. If he knew that, he would know if there was any reason to keep up this nonsense. If he kissed her and felt nothing, which he knew would happen, then he could stop thinking he had a crush on her.

All it would take was one little kiss.

A loud knock on the door was what made Sonny jump away from Chad. Someone was trying to get into the room.

"Why is the door locked? Sonny, are you in there?!"

"It's Tawni!" Sonny whispered, staring at Chad with horrified eyes.

"Instead of stating the obvious, why don't you try to get these casts off?" Chad hissed back, angrily motioning to his arms.

Sonny gripped one arm with both of her hands and started pulling with all her might. Chad could tell she was really trying this time. Her eyes shut tightly and her face contorted into one of pain. While she pulled, he wiggled, trying to free his arm from the other direction.

A few seconds later, the cast came off, Sonny went flying across the room, and Tawni's make-up crashed to the floor.

"I know you're in there, Sonny!" Tawni shouted, pounding on the door again. "Let me in now before I call Marshall!"

Chad rushed to Sonny's side, offering her his hand. She took it and once she was standing again, she started straightening her dress like it was the most important matter on hand.

"Really, Sonny? Really?" Chad demanded, thrusting his still casted arm into her face.

Glaring at him, Sonny took hold of the cast with both hands again. Chad held on too, helping her pull. The cast came off easier this time and, when Sonny started to fall again, Chad wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Sonny!" Tawni shouted, and Chad let go of Sonny, instead taking off the sweatshirt. "I mean it, if you don't let me in right this minute-,"

Sonny ripped the sweatshirt from his hands, threw it to the ground, and reached up to Chad's face. Before he could stop her, she tore off the beard, leaving Chad in searing pain.

"Ow!"

"Oh, don't be such a baby." Sonny was smiling again. As Chad got ready to open the door, she stopped him. "Not yet, let me hide this stuff first!"

With Tawni still pounding, Chad held the doorknob tightly in his fist, waiting as Sonny scrambled to pick up the costume. Once she had it all in her hands, she looked around the room, searching for some place to stick it. Finally, she threw it into her make-up desk. She ran to Chad's side just as he pulled open the door.

Tawni almost punched Chad; her fist was in the air, ready to pound on the door again, but luckily she was able to pull back right before her fist would've hit Chad's chest. He pointed at her in warning.

"Hey, no one hits Chad Dylan Cooper."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to-," Tawni shut up as she looked back and forth between Chad and Sonny. She had her dumb moments, but apparently this wasn't one of them. "Wait a minute. Chad, what are you doing in our dressing room?"

Chad looked at Sonny; Sonny looked at Chad.

"Uh………" they said at the same time.

"Whatever," Tawni sighed, forcing Sonny and Chad to move apart as she stepped between them. "I'm too tired to care. Besides, I know even Sonny wouldn't do something as stupid as date Chad behind all of our backs!"

She sent a glare in Sonny's direction. The brown haired girl laughed nervously, and Chad saw it as his chance to leave. Without a word, he started walking down the hallway toward the Mackenzie Falls stage.

"Wait!" He turned around to face Sonny, not quite sure how to read the expression on her face. "Chad…Thanks. For everything."

Instead of saying anything back, Chad did something better; he winked at Sonny. She smiled that great smile of hers before Tawni pushed her aside, closing the door to their dressing room. Even from his spot all the way down the hall, Chad could hear the two girls yelling at each other.

Sonny and Tawni may not be on good footing for a little while thanks to the lockout, but at least Chad had saved Sonny from total humiliation on her own show. He walked away, feeling good about himself.

Then again, when didn't Chad Dylan Cooper feel good?


	5. Episode 5: Cheater Girls

Thank you once again for all the comments/reviews. I was mad when I watched this episode on TV because Chad wasn't in it. Thankfully, that was an easy problem for me to fix.

Disclaimer: If I owned Sonny With a Chance, Chad would be in all the episodes

Episode #5:

Cheater Girls

**Chad Dylan Cooper Never Watches So Random!**

Sonny Munroe needed help. Her mom was threatening to pull her off So Random! if she didn't bring up her math grades. She couldn't be thrown off the show; for the first time since arriving, she and Tawni were actually getting along. She wasn't going to throw all that away. Then again, she wasn't going to get in trouble for cheating like Tawni suggested, either. Asking Zora to tutor her was no help at all since she couldn't stop thinking about the Check It Out Girls.

What she needed was something to take her mind off the show, something that could distract her long enough to get So Random! gone so she could concrete on math.

She knew the perfect distraction.

Since she was in school during the day or with her fellow cast members working on the show and had tutoring with Zora at night, Sonny didn't have much free time on her hands. Using the excuse that she had to use the restroom, she walked as fast as she could through the hallways until she got to the Mackenzie Falls set.

"Hi!" she greeted the security guard who was standing by the wall of people Chad had banned from ever entering the set. "Do you know where Chad Dylan Cooper is?"

"Name?" he asked, his voice gruff.

"Sonny Munroe."

He scanned the clipboard he was holding in his hands, reading through all the names to make sure he wasn't letting in someone who wasn't allowed. When he was done, he smiled at Sonny.

"Chad and the rest of the cast are in the mediation room right now," he informed her, holding open the door that would lead Sonny to the right place. "You're welcome to go in. Would you like me to escort you?"

"No, thank you," Sonny declined, smiling as she walked past him. "I think I can find my way."

After spending so much time at Mackenzie Falls when Chad tried to trick her into joining the show, Sonny knew the set pretty well. She sidetracked, going the opposite way as the mediation room, instead sneaking some chocolate from the ever-flowing chocolate fountain. Making sure all the evidence was off her face, Sonny headed toward the room she knew Chad was in.

Like the security guard told her, Sonny found the entire Mackenzie Falls cast in the room. For some reason, they had left the door open. That was a huge mistake. They were all wearing the Mackenzie Falls uniform, and, to Sonny's great delight, had their backs to her.

This was going to be more fun than she'd thought.

Taking off her shoes and leaving them by the door, Sonny started tip-toeing through the room. Each cast member was sitting on their own little rug with their legs crossed, so Sonny just had to make sure not to step too close. As long as they kept their eyes shut, she should be safe.

She froze when a voice broke the silence.

"Mackenzie Falls is the best show ever."

Was she caught? Did somebody have their eyes open and know she was sneaking around the room? It wasn't like she would be in trouble if someone did see her, Chad had given her permission to visit whenever she wanted, but being seen would ruin her plan.

As Sonny stayed perfectly still, not even daring to breathe, she realized no one had seen her yet. All the voices blended together to repeat the line and Sonny rolled her eyes.

Chad was sitting at the front of the group, no one on either side of him. He was leading his cast in the mediation, telling them what they should be mediating on. Sure, he was talking, but not because he'd seen her. He was just giving himself an even bigger ego.

As much as she hated to admit it, Sonny was happy to see Chad sitting by himself instead of between the girls. If he'd been sitting next to Portlyn……

She shook that thought out of her head quickly, continuing her journey across the room. It was none of her business if Chad and Portlyn, or the other girl on Mackenzie Falls who always seemed to be fighting over Mackenzie, were an item. It shouldn't have bothered her when she watched an episode of the show and saw the huge flirts taking place. Chad was free to be with whoever he wanted to be with. Just because he'd almost kissed her once…

Coming out of her thoughts, Sonny saw she had made it to her destination. She was standing beside the huge gong, and it was standing there, just waiting for someone to hit it as hard as they could. She picked up the mallet and waited, wondering when the perfect moment would be to put her plan into action.

She found it not five seconds later.

"We're the greatest actors at Condor Studios," Chad led, and his Mackenzie Falls clones followed him.

"Except for maybe that really cute actress on So Random!" Sonny called out, using the same voice Chad used.

It worked; the cast repeated her, Chad turned around to glare at her, and as she smiled in response, she hit the gong as hard as she could. Everyone in the room jumped as their eyes flew open and turned to Sonny.

"What's she doing here?" Portlyn asked, climbing to her feet.

"It's a free country, Portlyn," Sonny replied, putting her hands on her hips. "I have just as much right to be here as you do."

Chad could sense trouble coming as Portlyn started walking closer to Sonny. Scrambling to his feet, he stepped between the two girls.

"Portlyn, sit back down and try to get everyone back in their vibe," he said, grabbing Sonny's arm. "I'll deal with this, alright?"

"'Deal with this'?" Sonny repeated. "I'm not even worthy enough to have a name?"

Portlyn opened her mouth to retort, but Chad pointed to the front of the room. She left without another word, and before Sonny had time to take in everything, Chad dragged her into the hallway.

"Wait!" she exclaimed as he continued dragging her along behind him. "My shoes are still-,"

"Can't you be quiet for two minutes?" Chad cut her off. "At least wait to yell at me until the rest of the cast can't hear you."

Sonny clamped her mouth shut and kept it that way until Chad pushed her into his dressing room, shutting the door behind them. Finally having her arm out of his clutches, Sonny started shaking it, trying to get feeling back. Chad had a pretty strong grip when his arms weren't stuck in fake casts.

"What do you think you're doing here?" he asked, turning his attention back to Sonny. His angry tone scared her a little bit.

"You said I was welcome on your set anytime I wanted to come," she said, her voice small. "I just thought-,"

"I'm not mad at you for visiting the set," Chad interrupted. "Sonny…You snuck into the mediation room and hit the gong as hard as you could! That's not exactly what I meant when I said you were welcome back anytime."

"Oh, that. I'm sorry, Chad." Even as she said it, Sonny couldn't help but laugh. When Chad glared at her, she sighed. "Come on, you didn't find that even a little bit funny?"

Of course he'd found the whole situation funny. Sonny had snuck into the room without one person noticing her, had led his cast in a chant, and instead of running away when getting caught, she rang the gong. She wasn't even afraid after all that. When Portlyn stood up to threaten her, Sonny got right back in her face.

Chad was amazed, really. But he couldn't let Sonny know he felt that way. It was time to put his acting skills to the test.

"That was very childish behavior coming from someone like you, Sonny," he said, shaking his head sadly. "I'm very disappointed in you."

His act worked. Sonny started grumbling to herself in anger, but her voice was too low for Chad to understand what she was saying. He held up his hands, begging her stop.

"I can't understand you when you talk like that," he said. "Now, if you wouldn't mind speaking up-,"

"I'm not trying to act childish," Sonny explained, folding her arms over her chest. 'She's kind of cute when she's angry,' Chad thought, then shook his head, trying to force the thought away. "It's just that Marshall's threatening to kick me off So Random! if I don't get my math grade up, and I'm trying to improve it but I can't concentrate on anything but the show, and I can't get kicked off because Tawni and I are finally getting along and-,"

She was rambling again. She had a habit of doing that when she got nervous. Taking a deep breath, Sonny tried again.

"I'm stressed out and I needed something to distract me from everything," she said. "I thought maybe visiting you would help me clear my mind."

So Chad was being used as an item of relaxation? Strangely enough, as long as it was Sonny using him, he didn't mind.

"I don't get it," he said slowly, trying to make her words flow in an order that made sense. "I understand you failing math; that part's completely understandable." At this point, Sonny glared but he went on talking. "What's the big deal with getting kicked off So Random! though? That's the part that confuses me."

Sonny opened her mouth like she was going to answer, but at the last second, she shut it again.

"Chad, have you ever seen a single episode of my show?" she asked in all seriousness.

"Yeah, right," Chad replied, finally laughing. "Like I would ever watch a show from Chuckle City!"

"I wouldn't be laughing just yet, Cooper. I watched an episode of Mackenzie Falls; it's only fair if you watch an episode of So Random!"

"Sonny, you only watched my show because of a bet, I don't have to-,"

Chad was too late. Sonny was already stalking out of the room, leaving the door ajar after throwing it open. She was back sooner than Chad thought she would return and in her arms was a miniature television.

"What are you doing with that?" Chad asked as she sat the television down in front of his mirror. "It's not time for Mackenzie Falls."

"Oh, we're not watching that," Sonny replied.

She hit the power button and the So Random! theme music started playing through the room.

Chad tried to leave through the still open door, but Sonny jumped between him and his freedom, shutting it in his face. He didn't like the smile on her face this time.

"Nice try, Chad Dylan Cooper, but you're going to sit there and watch my show whether you want to or not," she said, grabbing his arms and steering him toward the television. "By the time I leave, you're going to understand why I don't want to get kicked off this show."

The blonde heartthrob had no choice but to do as the girl told him, no matter how much it went against him.

He tried to hide his pleasure in finally being able to see Sonny act.

***********

Chad Dylan Cooper was preparing to head home when he heard a loud squeal from outside. Curiosity got the best of him and he poked his head out of his dressing room and into the hallway. A girl with a red flower shirt and matching red visor came running up to him at full speed.

"Sonny?" he asked slowly.

Instead of answering him, she kept running, never taking the time to slow down one little bit. At the last second, when she would've plowed into him, the girl leaped and landed in Chad's arms.

Without a doubt in his mind, Chad knew the girl was Sonny. Even though he stumbled at the force of her hug, he didn't push her away or yell at her for doing it. He wrapped his arms around her, enjoying every moment of it, wishing she would never let go.

"I passed my math test!" she shouted, forcing Chad to flinch slightly. Her lips were awfully close to his ear. "I passed and so did Tawni, and we got done in time to sneak onto the set and do our Check It Out Girls sketch!"

"That's great, Sonny!"

And even though she was excited about making it in time to film a show in Chuckle City, Chad really was happy for her. As he'd seen when Sonny forced him to watch the show, she was the best actress on it. An episode without her, even for one night, would bring the ratings down.

Sonny was laughing when she pulled out of the hug. Chad noticed that although she no longer touched him, she stood closer than she usually did.

"Well, I can see you're getting ready to leave," she said, nodding toward the brown leather jacket Chad had on. "I guess I'll talk to you later?"

Chad regretted putting on his coat. He wished he would've thought to take it off before opening his dressing room door. But it was too late to change that now and he had no excuse to give Sonny to extend his stay.

"I guess you will," he said, shutting the door since he had joined Sonny in the hallway anyway.

Not quite sure what to say next, Chad started walking toward the exit. He was almost to the door when he heard Sonny speak and turned to face her again.

"Thanks, Chad. Without you helping me relax the other day, I never would've been able to pass that test," she said, her eyes staying firmly on the floor.

"Don't mention it," Chad told her, giving her his signature wink. "I'll catch you later, Munroe."

Her heart was beating fast as she watched him walk away for a reason she didn't understand.


	6. Episode 6: Three's Not Company

This chapter is one of my shorter ones, but it was my third favorite to write (the first being the musical chairs one and the other a chapter coming later). I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I liked writing it!!

Disclaimer: Really, readers? Really?

Episode #6:

Three's Not Company

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Get Turned Down**

Chad wasn't happy when he found out Sonny's best friend was coming to visit her. She wasn't the one who told him the news and he didn't take that as a good sign. If she was too busy planning activities before her friend arrived, then after she was there, he wouldn't get to see Sonny until her friend was gone.

Not that it really bothered him if he did or didn't see Sonny. He could live without seeing her for a few days. Actually, it would probably do him good to not see her. Besides, he had a birthday party to plan. That was defiantly a big enough task to keep his mind off Sonny.

There was a lot involved in planning the perfect birthday party. Chad had to make sure there was a huge room to throw the party in, that there was loud music, plenty of food, huge cut-outs of his body everywhere, and, of course, every person he considered important. It was a big responsibility that took weeks and weeks of planning. By the time he sent out his invites, most of the work was done and he had a chance to sit back and relax as he watched all the yeses come flying in.

But this year, there was one answer that wasn't a yes. For the first time ever, someone said no to Chad's party.

Using the excuse that he had to check on his invites (which were, of course, cut-outs of his body), Chad walked around to all the sets at Condor Studios, trying to figure out who was the one person to turn him down. He found that person on the So Random! set, lying on a couch alone in the prop house.

"'So you were the no?"' he asked a certain Sonny Munroe. "'You were the one person I invited who's not coming?"'

"'Well, see, my best friend is in town and-,"'

If Chad hadn't heard about Sonny's friend coming from his other source, this was the first time he would've heard about it. He hated being out of Sonny's life.

He hated the fact she was turning down his invite even more. He'd been looking forward to seeing her.

"'So?"' he tried, his voice raising a tiny bit. He was going to do everything he could to change Sonny's mind. "'Bring her to the party!"'

His suggestion didn't fly and Sonny kept her answer the same it was before he'd come to visit her. He had no choice but to put her on the banned list.

He never dreamed she would fight so hard to get in.

Chad didn't see Sonny at his party until she ran into him, almost like the night she found him after getting a passing grade on her math test. She was running full speed through the room, but when she ran into him, he caught her in his arms, turned her so her back was to him, and still kept his arm around her shoulders.

"'Oh, hey, Sonny,"' he greeted her. "'Glad you could make it. Did you get me a gift?"'

"'See, I really didn't have time to shop…."'

First she turned down his invite and then she had the nerve to sneak in without a gift? Chad couldn't let her stay; that would be showing his soft side and Chad Dylan Cooper never showed his soft side. He had no choice but to call the security.

Sonny tried to stop him. She explained she had to talk to her best friend, the one she hadn't even bothered to tell Chad about until earlier that afternoon, and apologize to her. Chad still called security. Sonny wasn't a dumb girl though; she thrust a cardboard Chad into their faces and took off running.

Somehow, Sonny turned Chad's own party against him. She stole the microphone off the stage, was getting carried off by two security guards, and convinced them to put her down simply by asking if they'd ever fought with their best friend before. When Chad stepped in front of her, trying to bring the focus of his party back to him, the guards carried him out of the way instead. How had she become more important than him?

As if that weren't bad enough, Sonny's friend hugged her, Sonny lost her balance, and all the Chad cut-outs in the room started playing dominos. Chad stood in front of the last standing version of himself, reaching to stop it if it fell. Just when it looked like it was going to stay standing and he turned his back to it, it fell forward as well. Chad Dylan Cooper landed in his own birthday cake.

Sonny, Tawni, and Sonny's friend all rushed up, but they didn't check to see if Chad was alright. Instead, they started eating the destroyed cake, laughing and telling jokes as they did so.

There was no way Sonny could've missed the glare Chad sent in her direction even if she'd wanted to. The sweet sugary cake wasn't enough to bring her attention away from Chad. He was more than a little angry at her.

Sonny didn't follow Chad as he left his own party, surely to get cleaned up and return later, but she did think of a way to make it up to him. It wasn't the greatest plan ever, but she was smiling and couldn't wait to put it into action.

***********

At first the noise was soft, but as Chad started listening closer, he could tell it was someone singing. Thinking it was just some members of his cast acting weird, he turned back to his mirror, checking his hair. As always, it was perfect. It had taken him a long time to get out all the icing and to get his hair styled back to the way he liked it, but finally he was done.

Chad looked like Chad again, which was always a good thing.

He was forced to turn his attention away from the mirror again as the singing grew louder. It sounded as though it was coming from right outside his dressing room. What song was the person singing anyway? It sounded strangely familiar.

Chad pressed his ear against the door, determined to figure out which song was being sang. When it finally hit him, he pulled open the door quickly.

There was Sonny Munroe standing only a few feet away, wearing the same dress she had worn to Chad's birthday party. In front of her was a huge cart where a cake larger than life rested, what looked like a million candles glowing at the top. He stood there, one arm resting on the doorframe, the other at his hip.

He'd been waiting for her to come apologize.

"Happy birthday to you," she finished the last line of the song, her eyes staying locked with his.

"Well?" she asked after several silent seconds. "Aren't you going to blow out your candles?"

Chad bent over, took a deep breath, and tried to blow out all the candles. Sonny had really outdone herself; over half the cake stayed lit. As he took in air a few more times, Sonny grew impatient with waiting. She finished the job for him, blowing out all the candles on her side of the cake.

"I thought you'd be able to blow them all out at once," she said as she started pulling them out of the frosting one by one. "Your head is big enough; I thought it wouldn't be a problem getting all that hot air out."

"Is this an apology or a chance for you to make fun of me?" Chad asked as he started helping her with the candles.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist. I'll be good now, I promise."

Their hands brushed as they met halfway on the cake, both of them reaching for the last candle. Sonny pulled her hand away first but not before Chad saw the blush on her cheeks. He smiled; was Sonny finally starting to feel the way he felt?

The smile left his face quickly. It didn't matter what Sonny thought about him. As he'd told himself a thousand times, they could never be together. Although the cast of Mackenzie Falls and So Random! started talking to each other a lot more recently, they were still a long ways from considering each other friends. Going out with Sonny would…well, it would…

What would going out with Sonny do? Maybe, just maybe, the happy go lucky Sonny Munroe would be able to bond the two casts if she was dating Chad. She was good at talking to people (except Portlyn) and judging by the way her cast came to save her from joining Mackenzie Falls, she meant something to them. Could she convince them and Chad's cast that there was really no reason to be fighting? Or would things go in the total opposite direction and end up in a war?

'It's like she's my Juliet,' Chad thought, watching as Sonny took out a knife and started cutting into the birthday cake. Her hair, the first thing he noticed about her and the thing he paid too much attention to, enclosed her face as she worked. 'We can never be together because of a hatred we can't control. Instead, we have to go on pretending to hate each other to make everyone else happy. I'll never get a chance to play her Romeo.'

"Ok," Sonny's voice called out, pulling Chad back to reality. "Which piece of your cake do you want, Chad?"

"I don't want any piece," he replied, receiving a surprised look from the girl. "Sonny, this cake came from a member of So Random! How do I know it's not going to blow up in my face?"

"Really, Chad? Really?"

In her anger, Sonny took a paper plate from the pile she had on the lower shelf of the cart, put a huge piece of cake on it, thrust it into Chad's hands, and then, before Chad knew what was going on, she stuck her hands into the rest of the cake. He watched in shock as she destroyed the cake, getting icing all the way to her elbows as she pulled it all apart. Once she was done and the cake was nothing but a huge mess, she stood up straight and glared.

"Do you still think it's going to blow up?" she asked.

No, Chad didn't think the cake was going to blow up. He'd never really thought so from the beginning. But now that Sonny was angrier than he'd ever seen her, he was interested what would happen if he pushed it a little bit farther.

"I don't know," he said thoughtfully, looking at the cake in his hands. "You did cut off just this one piece, maybe this is the only one-,"

She stomped over to him, reached up for the cake, and started ripping it apart as she had the rest of the cake so forcefully that a few pieces ended up on Chad. When she was done, Sonny ripped the plate from his hands, threw it back onto the cart, and turned to face Chad one last time, pointing a white sugary finger at his chest.

"I'm sorry for being the first person to ever turn down an invite to your birthday party. I'm sorry for sneaking in to the party, and I'm even sorry for laughing after you ended up with a cake in your face. But this-," And without another word, she reached out for him, smearing cake and icing all over Chad's clothes, "I will never be sorry about!"

Turning her back to him, Sonny left with her cart and destroyed birthday cake, leaving Chad standing there, dripping cake on the floor.

'Maybe I was wrong,' he thought, watching until Sonny turned the corner and was out of sight. 'I can't picture Romeo's Juliet doing something like that. My Sonny, on the other hand……."

Despite being covered in cake, Chad was smiling as he called for his ride to come pick him up. He wouldn't be forgetting this night anytime soon.


	7. Episode 7: Poll'd Apart

Hello again readers/reviewers. I've been trying to add on another chapter every morning and every night. This chapter is almost making my deadline late, so I don't have much time to talk. I'm not really sure how much I like this one, and if the end confuses anyone, let me know and I'll try to explain. Hope you like it!!

Disclaimer: If I owned Sonny With a Chance, would I be submitting my ideas online?

Episode #7:

Poll'd Apart

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Let Anyone Ride In His Car For Free**

Chad didn't see much of Sonny through this week nor did he visit the set of So Random! to figure out what she was up to. He did talk to her at lunch a few times so he knew she wasn't still mad about the cake incident, but other then that he had no idea what was going on in her life.

In a way, it bothered him that he had no idea what Sonny was up to, but on the other hand, he knew it was better that way. She wouldn't be as easy to crush on the more he stayed away. Besides, if she was up to anything really bad, it would make it into magazines. She was a star now after all.

Or, if it was something not bad enough for the magazines to jump at, Chad was sure her cast would talk about it. If her cast was talking, he'd be sure to hear about it. Two of them followed him around everywhere he went, doing whatever he told them to do.

Somehow, the cast of So Random! had found out about Chad's new car. It was black, sweet, and only seated two people. Both of the boys from the set wanted to ride with Chad to the upcoming award show and they were willing to do anything to get a ride in the passenger seat. Chad was willing to milk all the attention as long as he could.

He waited until the last minute before explaining to the boys that just because there was an extra seat in his car on the way to the award show didn't mean there would be one on the way home. In other words, he was hoping to bring a girl back with him.

'I wonder what Sonny would say if she saw me with another girl,' he thought as he left the two guys, carrying their presents back to his dressing room. 'That would be a good way to find out if she really likes me or not. If she acts jealous of me, then she likes me. If she seems alright with it, then I guess-,'

Shaking that thought out of his head, Chad tried to think about anything other than Sonny. Instead, he thought about his car and how cool he would look showing up to the award show in it.

He would've looked cool arriving at the award show in his new ride, but the two boys from Sonny's set fixed his car so it wouldn't drive. He did deserve it after the way he'd treated the two of them, but still. They had the nerve to mess with Chad Dylan Cooper. They would pay for their actions.

If Chad ever came out of his depression long enough to plot revenge, anyway. He sat in the driver's seat of his car, staring straight ahead with unseeing eyes. He was missing the award show for this?

It wouldn't have done him any good to call home and get try to find another ride. By the time his parents drove done to the studio to pick him up and then got to the show, it would be almost over. Besides, no one looks cool being driven by their parents. He had no choice really but to either sit there in his car and sulk or head for home.

Sulking sounded better to him at the moment. It was the only option that let him sit there and not have to make an effort. Sulking was an easy thing to do.

Until someone saw you doing it, anyway.

Chad heard the footsteps approaching him. Not wanting anyone to see that Chad Dylan Cooper was actually feeling sorry, he bent down in his seat, hoping whoever it was would figure the room was empty and just leave.

"Nice try, Chad, but I saw you try to hide."

Great, the one person who Chad didn't want to see him sulking more than anyone else was entering the room: Sonny Munroe.

He sat up straight again and turned around so he could wave to Sonny. It was obvious she was just getting back from the award show. She was still dressed up from it and Chad wondered why she hadn't bothered to change clothes before coming to find him. Then, he thought of a better question: how had she found him?

Sonny walked around the back of the car slowly, her hand lightly running along the side. If she'd been anyone else, Chad would've yelled at her for leaving fingerprints all over his car, but since it was only her and he'd already had a bad night anyway, he didn't feel like yelling. Sonny didn't walk along his side, instead going toward the passenger seat. She stopped when she was next to the door.

"I didn't see you at the show tonight," she stated the obvious.

"Well, I…I…" Chad tried to think of a good excuse to give her that wouldn't make it sound like he'd gotten tricked. "I decided at the last minute not to go. Award shows get old after you go to so many."

Sonny started laughing as she said, "Lay off the excuses, Chad. Nico and Grady told me what they did to your car."

He was caught. There was no use in lying to Sonny when she already knew the truth. And with Sonny, she seemed to somehow know the truth all the time.

With her fingers lingering on the door's handle through the entire conversation so far, Sonny picked then to actually tug on it. As the door opened, she glanced nervously at Chad. He didn't look back at her, but he didn't protest either. Slowly, she let herself ease into the passenger seat, closing the door softly.

She couldn't deny the truth; it was a pretty nice car. Even though she didn't know much about cars, she could guess why Nico and Grady had been trying so hard to sit where she was now.

She doubted either of them would feel the thrill she felt at sitting next to Chad Dylan Cooper, though.

It was silent for a long time as the two teens sat in the car, neither sure what to say. Sonny had nothing to apologize for this time since it was Nico and Grady who'd done the nasty work, and Chad was just too sad to think of anything mean to say to the Random sitting beside him.

"You didn't miss much tonight," Sonny finally spoke. "The show wasn't as great as everyone made it sound like it was going to be."

Chad turned to Sonny in surprise.

"Wasn't that your first award show?" he asked. "You weren't swept up in all the first time fun?"

She thought about it for a moment before first shaking her head and then gesturing down to her outfit.

"Actually, the most fun part about tonight was when my friends and I showed up Sharona," she explained. "We figured out what she was wearing tonight, got the same outfit, wore cloaks as we asked if we could take a picture with her, and pulled off the cloaks at the last second. You should've seen the look on her face!"

Despite how bad his night had been, Chad found himself laughing along with Sonny. He could picture Sonny leading the rest of her cast in an attack like that, and he could also see Sharona's shocked face. He imagined it was something like the look he'd had after Sonny had gotten cake all over his clothes.

"It sounds like you had fun," he said once they had both stopped laughing. "But if I'd been there, I would've showed you how the real stars act at events like that."

Sonny studied Chad's face.

"Really?" she asked, her voice so soft that Chad could barely hear it. When he turned to look at her, she turned her eyes away. "You really would've hung out with me in public?"

She had a point. All the conversations anyone in the public eye had seen between Chad and Sonny were ones to prove they were on opposite casts. Their real conversations only happened during times like this, when it was just the two of them with no one else around.

Would he have hung out with Sonny if he'd gone to the award show or would he have been too busy trying to find a girl to take home with him? The media would've had a field day if they saw the two teen stars hanging out together; would he have risked it?

Sonny's eyes were still downcast and Chad could only guess what she was thinking. She was taking his silence as the worse possible answer. Without saying a word, she started to push open her door.

Chad put his hand on her knee. She instantly sat still.

"What reason could I possibly have to not hang out with you in public?"

Chad wasn't sure if his words were 100% true, but they were worth saying. The smile Sonny gave him overtook her whole face. Man, did he ever love that smile.

The silence that fell over the car was peaceful this time, almost natural. There was no awkwardness and neither Chad nor Sonny felt the need to talk. For the first time, they were comfortable in the silence.

Sonny kept her eyes on him, the smile never leaving her face. Didn't she realize what she was doing to him? With that smile, those huge brown eyes, and her closeness…how was he supposed to concentrate on anything but her? More than any other time, he wanted to kiss her.

Just one little kiss. One kiss that could determine how the rest of the night, the next day, and possibly even the rest of their lives would be. One little kiss was all they would need to know if their love was worth fighting for or not.

It wasn't Chad who started to lean forward. It was Sonny making the first move, inching closer and closer to Chad. The hand he still had on her knee tightened its grip in anticipation and he searched her eyes, wondering if she would protest. She didn't, instead reaching out her hand. Before she could touch him, he caught her hand in his.

They were holding hands for the first time. Sonny looked down in surprise as Chad's fingers twined with hers. She never thought the day would come when Chad Dylan Cooper would be holding hands with her.

Of course Sonny felt the absence of heat when Chad took his hand off her knee. She didn't have to live without his touch for long; he gently cupped her chin and raised it so she had to look into his eyes. Despite his huge ego, he did have the cutest eyes Sonny had ever seen. She would've looked into them all night if given a chance.

Her chance was cut short as Chad started moving his head closer to hers. Sonny closed her eyes. She was giving in to her desires. She was going to kiss him even though she knew it was wrong to like him, that the two of them could never be anything more than friends, and that all her new friends would hate her if they found out. She was willing to put all that at risk.

His breath was on her face. One last move and their lips would touch for the first time. Sonny's whole body was shaking as she prepared to take that last move-

"We can't do this, can we?"

Her eyes flew open and she pulled back quickly, taking her hand out of his. He wasn't looking at her anymore, but was staring straight ahead as he'd been doing when she had spied on him before walking in. She couldn't help but notice the hand he had balled into a fist.

"What do you mean?" she asked him, feeling confused.

"Sonny." He looked at her again before going on. "We can't do this. We can't sit here in my car and….Well, you know."

Sonny didn't know if it was because of the kiss getting rejected or if it was because of something else, but for some reason, she could feel herself starting to get angry.

"I can't believe this," she said, shaking her head.

"You can't believe what?"

"That you would stoop this low," she replied. As Chad started to ask what she was talking about, she turned to face him, the anger plain on her face. "I thought we were just playing around when we were with people. I thought the way we acted when we were alone, like now, was what our real friendship was. I really like you, Chad, and I thought you felt the same way."

"Sonny, I don't know-,"

"I can't believe I was stupid enough to fall for your nice act," she went on, talking over his words. "I thought maybe you were putting aside your 'I can only think about Chad Dylan Cooper' ways and actually starting to care for me as a friend. But now I can tell that you were just lying. You wouldn't really hang out with me if we went out in public together. Apparently you don't feel the same way I do either since-,"

She trailed off, but Chad knew what she meant. She thought he didn't like her because he hadn't kissed her. Could she be any farther from the truth?

Without saying another word, Sonny pushed open the door, climbed out of the car and slammed the door shut behind her.

"Wait!" Chad cried, struggling to get his door open so he could stop her. "Sonny, if you just let me explain-,"

But he was too late. Sonny stormed away without turning to look at Chad again. He watched her go sadly. It was going to take a lot to convince her he wasn't being fake. What was the best way to do it?

Luckily, his chance came rather quickly. When a TV reporter came to follow around 'the new girl', he took it not only as a chance to win over the fans but to also talk to Sonny. It was the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone.


	8. Episode 8: Fast Friends

I'm not really sure if I like how I moved from the last chapter into this one. When I wrote this, I wasn't really in a hurry but I was just writing without going back and rereading any of my work. Just to clear things up, Chad said no to Sonny in the last chapter not because he was trying to trick her into something like she seems to believe, but instead because he's not sure if he's falling for her or not and isn't ready to risk everything yet. Ok, I feel a little bit better explaining that…

Disclaimer: If I owned Sonny With a Chance, it would be on a lot more than three times a week.

Episode #8:

Fast Friends

**Chad Dylan Cooper Always Looks Good Publicly **

Sonny Munroe tried her best to get over her little crush on Chad. Yes, she did call it a 'little' crush, not a huge one, because she knew it was something she could get over fairly easily. It wasn't like she had fallen in love with him or anything like that. She'd simply let herself fall under his spell, just like all the girls who watched Mackenzie Falls from week to week just to see his face had.

The only difference between her and those girls was she was smart enough to realize she was falling and to pull herself out of the hole before it was too late.

Stupid Chad Dylan Cooper and his good looks. If he didn't have those eyes that drove her crazy or the hair that drove her insane every time she watched it fall over those eyes, then she never would've fallen into his trap anyway. She didn't understand why he was trying to trick her by being nice when they were alone. He knew she wasn't switching over to his show; did he just pretend to be nice because he knew she liked him?

Telling herself she didn't care about his motive was what got Sonny through the day. If Chad didn't want to be friends with her, then so be it. She could live with that. The only time she talked to him was during lunch, and that was because he wouldn't stop coming over to her table. Her answers were always curt if she replied at all, although she usually let the rest of her cast handle the insults instead.

The late night visits to Mackenzie Falls stopped. Chad coming over to the set of So Random! ceased. Things went back to the way they were before Sonny had come along, the way things always should've been. She was stupid for trying to change it in the first place.

Sonny and Chad transformed into the people who only talked when forced and only to throw insults at each other. It was the relationship neither of them wanted but both knew they had to have.

At least, that's what Chad wanted Sonny to think. In the meantime, he would think of a way to win back her friendship. He couldn't live without being friends with her, as he was starting to figure out. He missed it when it was just him and Sonny hanging out, all the almost kisses…..All their best moments had taken place during their alone time and if he didn't get another opportunity soon, he was going to go crazy.

Just as he was brainstorming a plan to get Sonny alone so he could finally apologize to her, the camera crew showed up. Chad's plan changed. Why say he was sorry when he could show Sonny he was while showing America how great he was?

And so, the first time Chad saw Sonny and the cameras during lunch time, he made his way over to her table.

"'Hey, Sonny, happy meatball Monday,"' he said, a pile of napkins in one hand, his other on the back of her chair. "'Just brought you some extra napkins."'

"'Oh, thanks, Chad."' Sonny was eyeing him and he knew she was trying to play it cool in front of the cameras. "'That was oddly thoughtful of you."'

Chad said hello to the man with the camera (he'd been interviewed by the same man before), pretended he didn't know Sonny was in the middle of being questioned (which gained him a rude remark from her), and as he pulled up a chair, Sonny sarcastically asked if he would care to join her.

"'Don't mind if I do,"' he replied, putting his chair right beside hers.

"'Hold up,"' the interviewer said as soon as Chad was sitting. "'So nice girl from Wisconsin is tight with the Hollywood bad boy?"'

"'Well, I wouldn't say we were tight,"' Sonny started to say, rolling her eyes.

"'We're very good friends,"' Chad cut her off, putting his arm around her shoulders.

Sonny didn't push his arm away, but she did stare at him for a few short seconds.

"'Actually,"' she said, turning back to the camera, "'We can't stand each other."'

Chad let out the loudest fake laugh Sonny had ever heard.

"'This is the kind of fun we get to have every day,"' he said, his fake laugh stopping abruptly.

Sonny wasn't sure what to think about Chad. Why was he suddenly being nice to her again? Did he change his mind about not wanting to be friends? This interview was going to be seen by everyone; people would see the two of them hanging out. Was he trying to tell her something?

A little more small talk and Chad said the one thing that stopped Sonny from glaring at him:

"'Isn't she adorable?"' he said, squeezing her shoulders tighter to him. "'That's why Sonny's my favorite member of So Random!"'

She couldn't tell if he was lying or not as she asked, "'Really?"'

"'Yes, really,"' Chad told her, giving her a huge smile. "'You're lucky to be getting this interview; this girl is going places."'

'Maybe Chad turned over a new leaf,' Sonny thought as Chad made some small talk before leaving, promising he would catch her later. 'Maybe we can really be friends.'

It wasn't long before she saw Chad again. She took her interviewer and cameraman to her dressing room and that was when Chad showed up, a little dog in his arms. He said a few more nice things, made Sonny feel like she really wanted to be friends with him again, and then, as soon as the camera was off, he turned back into a jerk.

That was the last straw.

"'You…You…"' Sonny paused as she tried to think of a word bad enough to describe Chad. "'You poser! You are the most shallow, self-absorbed, conceited jerk face that I've ever met! And you know what? This is my room and this is my interview, and this is my foot, which is going to kick you in the butt if you don't get out of here."'

To Sonny's horror, the cameraman came back just in time to catch her little speech. It ended up all over the news and everyone was afraid to talk to her for fear she would go "diva" crazy on them. To solve the problem, Sonny confronted Chad in the lunch room.

"'I like you,"' Chad said during their talk. Sonny had to wonder which form of 'like' he meant. "'And I'm sorry the rest of the world doesn't know the real you."'

"'It's your fault!"' Sonny protested quickly.

"'Is it, Sonny?"' Chad asked. "'Is it really?"'

"'Yes. It is. Really!"' Sonny replied, her anger making her put a space between each phrase. Chad was so annoying sometimes.

He left then and Sonny had to think of a plan. She couldn't let the world go on thinking she was a diva. So Random! would lose fans and, as long as everyone thought Chad was the good guy, Mackenzie Falls would gain them. No way was she going to let that happen without a fight.

All she had to do was make Chad look bad in front of the camera. 'I guess it's a good thing he told me he's building doghouses!' Sonny thought happily as a plan started to develop. 'At least I know just where to find him and the camera.'

Sure enough, it wasn't hard to find the blonde haired heartthrob. It also wasn't hard to get the cameraman to walk away and take a break.

Long story short, Chad admitted to making Sonny look bad, she had a camera hidden in her hat, and she gave it to the interviewer, putting Chad in his rightful place and her back on the 'good girl' status. Everything was how it was supposed to be.

As Sonny was walking away to turn in her film, she stopped when she heard Chad speak up.

"'Well played, Munroe,"' he said.

"'Props accepted,"' she replied, smiling sweetly.

"'We should hang out sometime."'

Sonny could feel her heart speeding up and she nervously started looking around, begging for something to look at besides Chad. Was he being serious or was he trying to trick her yet again? There was only one way to find out.

"'The camera's off, Chad."'

He stared straight into her eyes.

"'I know."'

There was no stopping the huge grin that overtook Sonny's face. Chad smiled back; he finally had Sonny back where he wanted her. The two of them were alone, as they'd been before, and they were both smiling. They were officially friends again.

There was only one regret Chad later had about that day: asking Sonny to hang out. Her idea of hanging out was a lot different than his…….

***********

The parking lot was silent as two different casts set on the pavement. Four people sat in a group together: Tawni, Nico, Grady, and Zora. A few feet away from them another group sat, including: Penelope, Devon, Chloe, Trevor, Portlyn, and, of course, Chad.

Sonny stood in the space between the two groups, trying to think of something to say. It was the first time the two casts had been together in a long time and so far, it wasn't going very good.

"So…………" Sonny's voice trailed off as she tried to think of something to say. "Does anybody want to play a game of Duck, Duck, Goose?"

Not a single person spoke up. Getting nervous, Sonny grabbed Chad's arm and pulled him to his feet.

"Ow!" he protested, pulling out of her grasp. "Why do I have to stand up?"

"You're the one who suggested we should hang out sometime," Sonny explained, keeping her voice low so no one else could hear. She'd told her cast the people at Mackenzie Falls wanted to hang out with them, not that she and Chad had actually set the whole thing up.

"Actually, I said we should hang out sometime, meaning the two of us," Chad whispered back. "And I never suggested meeting in a parking lot. Why did you pick to meet here again?"

"Because it's a nice day and I thought everyone might want to spend time outside," Sonny hissed back. She raised her voice again as she addressed the people still on the ground. "Alright, everyone, let's all sit in a circle. It's time for the game to start!"

"What game are we playing?" Chad asked, glancing at Sonny like she was crazy.

"Duck, Duck, Goose," she stated happily.

Once again, the group fell silent.

"We're playing this game whether you want to or not!" Sonny declared, getting angry as she turned to her cast. "Now, come make a circle before I do something you'll all really regret me doing!"

All four of them muttered, but they knew better than to fight with Sonny's glare. Slowly, they moved so they were sitting in a half circle. Sonny glared at Chad next, ordering him to tell his cast to join in. He sighed before snapping his fingers.

"This is stupid," Portlyn said as she and the rest of Mackenzie Falls finished off the circle. As she walked by Chad and Sonny, she made sure her hip bumped into the other girl's hard enough to make her stumble. Luckily, Chad was there to catch her. "Hm. I think I finally understand why we end up playing baby games every time you come up with a plan."

Portlyn took her spot on the pavement, although if Sonny had her choice, she would've wrestled the girl before giving her the chance to sit. As though he could read her thoughts, Chad kept his hands at her waist, where they'd landed after he caught her, keeping her from attacking.

"Just one little punch," Sonny begged softly, struggling to get free. "Let me get one good hit and then I'll behave."

"You might want to get the game started instead," Chad protested, trying to hide the smile threatening to take over his lips. Sonny was cute when she was angry at someone other than him. "I have a feeling my cast is going to leave soon."

He was right. Sonny started the game and hit Portlyn's head (Chad glared at her but she pretended not to see), Portlyn took her turn after losing, and when she hit Tawni, a war broke out over whether or not Tawni should have to chase her or if she could just tag her after she'd ran the circle. Everyone joined in, Mackenzie Falls fighting for Portlyn and So Random! backing up Tawni.

Sonny watched with her mouth hanging open as everyone left, still yelling at each other as they walked through the parking lot. She and Chad were left alone on the pavement, sitting side by side (partly why Sonny had chosen to tag Portlyn).

"I can't believe that didn't work," Sonny said, turning to Chad. "I thought if they saw the two of us getting along, surely they would all follow us."

"Funny, funny little Sonny," Chad sighed, easily slipping an arm around her shoulders. "It took us a lot of work to get as far as we are now and we're not even best friends yet. Did you really expect our casts to bond that quickly?"

Sonny shrugged the best she could with Chad's arm there. "Well, I was hoping they would. I mean, it's not like we can ever get together until-,"

She stopped talking quickly, but she was too late. Chad turned to smile at her, pulling her tighter against his body.

"What was that last part you just said?" he asked her.

"Nothing," she answered too fast. "I didn't say anything, Chad."

"Really, Sonny? Really?" Man, was she getting sick of that line. "It sounded to me like you were going to say we can never get together until our casts are friends. Why are you thinking about us getting together?"

"I'm not."

"It sounds to me like you're trying to hide the fact that you're crazy about me, Sonny. Is that true?"

"It sounds to me like someone has an ego problem, Chad. Is that true?"

"I asked you first."

"I asked you second."

"Sonny."

"Chad."

She couldn't take it anymore. Pushing away his arm, Sonny climbed to her feet, suddenly feeling too hot while sitting under the warm sun.

"I'm going inside to get some water and to hang out with my friends," she stated, turning her back to Chad. She only took a few steps before turning back around. "And by the way, even if I did like you, I'd never admit it in a million years."

"Good."

"Good."

"Fine."

"Fine."

Once Sonny had her back turned to him for good, Chad stayed where he was, lying on his back with his arms folded behind his head. For the moment, everything was perfect.


	9. Episode 9: Sonny With a Chance of Dating

Thanks for sticking with the story for so long, readers/reviewers. This chapter is one of my longest, at least I think it is, but the episode did have a lot of Channy moments. Like I warned you before, a lot of this chapter is review over what happened in the episode so let me know if it gets too boring. That way, I can edit some of the future chapters down so they don't have as much review in them. Once again, thanks for reading all this. I'll be done uploading new chapters soon because Disney hasn't aired all of season one and I kind of need to see the episodes before I can finish my story. Don't worry, there will still be a few left to read after this one!

Disclaimer: If I owned Sonny With a Chance, Chad and Sonny would already be together. Well, probably not because then the show wouldn't be as funny. But by the end of season one, they would be going out for sure!

Episode #9:

Sonny With a Chance of Dating

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Get Jealous**

Things between Sonny and Chad seemed to be going alright, good even, and the two of them fell back into their love/hate relationship. They were both happy not admitting to liking each other and fighting to hide their real feelings. To them, that was their normal behavior and they were both happy to be back to it.

When Sonny met James while waiting in the lunch line one day, things changed.

James was cute, knew the pick-up lines, and had an ego that wasn't nearly as big as Chad's. Sonny started falling for him within the first few seconds of their meeting. Even though she was dressed as a teapot, he was still paying attention to her. Chad Dylan Cooper would never introduce himself to a teapot.

Not five minutes into the meet and greet, Chad walked up and started talking to James like they were best friends. Really he'd seen the two of them talking and just wanted to interrupt. Sonny didn't seem very happy about that.

"'Sonny,"' he greeted her after saying hello to James.

"'Chad,"' she replied curtly.

So that Sonny would know exactly who James was and what he was doing at Condor Studios, Chad suggested to his friend that the two of them leave to finish filming. Sonny was surprised at that; she hadn't known James was guest starring on Mackenzie Falls.

"'Oh, you're on Mackenzie Falls this week?"' she asked, waiting for James to nod before turning her attention to Chad. "'Let me guess: Stuck up Mackenzie being chased by bad boy bank robber."'

"'Let me guess,"' Chad shot back, his eyes studying her outfit. "'Life of the Boston Tea Party."'

"'Well, at least my show brings joy to our viewers."'

"'At least my show has viewers."'

James looked back and forth between Sonny and Chad as the two feuding stars glared at each other.

"'Wow,"' he said, wagging a finger to indicate each of them in turn. "'What's going on here?"'

"'Nothing,"' Chad said quickly.

"'It's beyond nothing,"' Sonny agreed.

Chad reminded James once again their scene was about to be filmed, said Sonny's name one last time, and then walked away, suddenly wanting to be as far away from the conversation as possible.

Sonny turned back to the food she'd been staring at when James had first walked up, pretending nothing had just happened.

"'You know,"' James started, gaining back Sonny's attention as he pointed after Chad, "'For something you said was nothing, that sure seemed like something."'

"'Oh, well, uh….."' Sonny stuttered as she tried to think of something to say. She didn't want to ruin her chances with James just because she had a small crush on Chad. Chad was there every week; James would be leaving when he was done with this episode. Why go with old and rude when she could have new and sweet? "'It's a day to day something. Sometimes hour by hour. I don't know, it's complicated; he's complicated!"'

"'Well, I'm not."'

Sonny's heart started to flutter as James went on talking. She knew what was coming. The words that never had, and more than likely never would, leave Chad's mouth were coming out of James's. Someone had beaten Chad to the punch line and Sonny was ready to start laughing.

***********

James was back on the Mackenzie Falls set, far away from Sonny and hopefully with a forgotten memory of the strange conversation between Sonny and Chad at lunch. Chad sat off to the side as James filmed his scene, staring at himself in a mirror as he ate. For the moment, he didn't have a care in the world. As long as he didn't bring the conversation back up, he shouldn't have to worry about James thinking anything was up.

He knew something was wrong when Tawni Hart walked up behind him.

The blonde girl knew how to get to the point. She walked up, asked to meet his idiot friend, but when he called over the wrong idiot, she clarified which one she wanted.

"'Not that idiot. James,"' she explained. When Chad took his time turning around to face her, she went on. "'Yeah, the one who's going out with Sonny tonight."'

That was all it took to get Chad on his feet.

"'I'm sorry,"' he said slowly, watching Tawni's face for any signs of a joke. "'What?"'

"'James. Sonny. Date. Tonight,"' Tawni confirmed, nodding her head after each word she said.

"'Date?"' Chad repeated. "Sonny? Tonight? James?"'

Tawni shook her head, sick of explaining it over and over again. Since James was busy filming and she couldn't talk to him, she left her message with Chad.

"'Look, just tell James: Back off of Sonny."'

She turned to walk away, but Chad stopped her.

"'Wait…….Why do you want him to back off Sonny?"'

"'Why do you want him to back off Sonny?"' she shot back after it was confirmed she wasn't jealous of his bib. The knowing look in her eyes made Chad uneasy. Were people starting to figure out he had a crush?

"'I…I never said I did,"' he replied, folding his arms over his chest.

"'Oh, your lips say you don't care,"' Tawni told him, but then she pointed to his face. "'But your eyes say I do care!"'

After telling Chad once again to make sure James would get the message to leave Sonny alone, she stalked off. Just as she disappeared, James appeared at Chad's side. Even though the scene was still in the middle of being shot, Chad walked over to his friend.  
"'Dude, are you taking Sonny out?"'

"'What do you care?"' James asked instead of answering.

"'I don't,"' Chad told him quickly.

"'Yeah, I get that from your eyes."'

Without another word to Chad, James went back onto the set. Chad sat down in front of his mirror again and picked his food back up, but he wasn't really thinking about the great taste. Instead, all he could think about was Sonny.

Was Tawni right? Were Sonny and James going out tonight? Why would Sonny do something like that? It was obvious, at least to Chad, that Sonny felt the same way about him he felt about her. Why was she wasting her time with another guy?

Unless Sonny liked James better than him. What if she thought James was better looking and a better actor? Could that be why she agreed to go out with him?

Chad shook that thought out of his head. Sonny had never seen James act before so that wasn't a possibility. Neither was James being better looking; Chad was the hottest guy ever created. There was no beating what was already perfect.

Still, there had to be some reason Sonny had agreed to go out with James. Chad was going to find out what that reason was, even if Sonny ended up hating him for whatever actions he took to get the job done.

He didn't want Sonny Munroe dating anyone who wasn't good enough for her. She deserved the best, and the best was what she would get.

***********

Sonny was having the time of her life on her date. She and James went to the local arcade where they played a dancing game against each other (Sonny won time and time again) before moving on to air hockey (once again, Sonny was deemed the winner). Just as they were sitting down to order their dinner-

"'Sorry I'm late!"' Tawni laughed as she slid into the booth beside Sonny. "'What did I miss?"'

"'An invitation,"' Sonny replied, folding her arms over her chest.

A few seconds later, Chad slid in across the table next to James, saying, "'Ohh, sorry I'm late. What'd I miss?"'

Sonny got madder and madder by the second as everyone asked each other what they were doing at the arcade. When James asked her what their two friends were doing there, she asked him, "'What are we still doing here?"'

"'Do you want to make a break for it?"' he asked, smiling for the first time since the guests arrived. "'I know how to tuck and roll."'

"'I am right behind you!"'

As James and Sonny both tried to make their escape, Tawni and Chad grabbed their shoulders, pulling them back into the booth. Not wanting to sit around and sulk all night, Sonny dragged Tawni along to play air hockey with her.

Once the girls were gone, the boys got to talking.

"'So,"' Chad started to say. "'You, uh, having a good time on your date?"'

"'I was until it was rudely interrupted,"' James replied, raising his voice slightly.

"'Yeah, Tawni's a piece of work, right?"'

James rolled his eyes and a silence fell over the table. For lack of nothing to say or do, both boys turned their attention to the girls.

"'She is so cute when she's angry,"' James finally spoke again.

"'Sonny's always cute,"' Chad said, rolling his eyes. "'She can't do anything without it being cute."' Then, as his thoughts started to take over, he had to look away from her. "'Stupid cute."'

And that was when James explained he wasn't talking about Sonny. He was referring to Tawni as the cute one.

Chad wasn't sure what to think about that. He'd come along on the date not knowing Tawni was going to be there. His only hope had been to keep Sonny and James from being alone. He thought the two of them really liked each other and was afraid something would happen if they were alone together for too long.

It was a great relief to know James was more interested in Tawni than he was in Sonny. Chad felt a huge burden lift off his shoulders and was happy enough he could've skipped all the way back to Condor Studios.

Instead of leaving though, Chad sat there, unsure what to do. It wasn't fair for Sonny to be with James when he didn't like her. Sonny had agreed to go out with him. She had to have some feelings for him, whether big or small. If she found out James didn't feel the same way, her night would be ruined.

Chad wasn't sure what to do. He could tell Sonny and take her home, trying to mend her broken heart along the way. Or he could let her finish out the date and find out the truth later. Which was the best choice?

The air hockey game ended, Tawni left the arcade, and Sonny stormed back to the table. She was already angry. Maybe telling her about James wasn't the best thing to do.

Still, Chad wasn't sure if James would try something with Sonny even though he didn't like her. There were a lot of guys out there mean enough to do that and Chad didn't want it to happen to someone as nice and undeserving of that behavior as Sonny was. He decided not to tell her about James but to stay on their date with them.

"'Whoo,"' he said after several moments of silence. "'I thought she'd never leave."'

The glare Sonny sent his direction was enough to make him look away, but not bad enough to make him leave. He was going to protect Sonny no matter what it took.

Although, judging by the way the rest of the night went, it was going to take a lot to make it up to her.

***********

Sonny ended up finding out the truth about James the next day. Chad wasn't the one who told her; she found out when flowers came addressed to Tawni, declaring James was dumping her for the blonde. The two girls came up with a plan to get back at James, and when they told it to Chad, he couldn't help but smile.

He and Sonny were going on a fake date while Tawni and James went on a real one. If things went as planned, James would get jealous of Sonny and dump Tawni for her. If the plan got that far, Sonny would then proceed to dump James. Chad wasn't sure if the plan would work or not, but he agreed to it anyway. He just wanted to go on a fake date with Sonny.

Sure, a real date would've been 100 times better than a fake one, but at least Sonny came to him. She had other guys she could go to; two of them were in her cast and would've agreed to the plan easily. But Chad was the one she came to.

It was the best he was going to get, at least until he and Sonny either admitted their true feelings or their two casts became friends. He was willing to take what he could get.

Tawni and James left for the arcade first. Sonny and Chad waited long enough to let their friends get a table before walking through the doors. Sonny was the first to spot them and she pulled Chad backwards before they could be seen.

"'Quick,"' she ordered, forcing her hand into Chad's. "'Hold my hand."'

"'Don't tell me what to do,"' he protested, pulling his hand back.

"'We're on a fake date,"' Sonny reminded him. "'We have to make it look believable!"'

"'Well, if you want to hold hands, you have to switch sides."'

"'Why?"'

Sonny was getting annoyed.

"'This is my holding hand,"' Chad explained, as though it was the most obvious reason in the world.

Sighing, Sonny walked to Chad's other side, once again forcing their hands together.

""Look, and just so you know,"' she said as she walked, "'This is our first and last fake date."'

Chad noticed she made sure to put the word fake in her sentence. She said nothing about a real date.

"'Good,"' he said, trying not to smile.

"'Good,"' she repeated. "'Now smile like you're having the time of your life."'

Without another word, Sonny and Chad both pasted huge smiles on their faces and left the entrance of the arcade, swinging their linked hands. Chad made sure Sonny was sitting comfortably in the booth before running to the other side and sitting beside her.

"'They're looking this way,"' Sonny said after several minutes. She was watching the booth where James and Tawni were sitting like a hawk. "'Put your arm around me."'

Chad tried telling Sonny she was sitting on the wrong side for him to put his arm around her, but she repeated her order, sterner this time. He did as she told him. They both looked around for a few seconds nervously.

"'Oh, you should probably put your head on my shoulder,"' Chad suggested.

Sonny nodded her head before leaning it on his soft shoulder. Now that they couldn't see each other's faces, they both smiled their first real smiles of the night.

"'This is nice,"' Sonny spoke up, then caught herself. "'In theory."'

"'We, uh, make a good couple,"' Chad agreed before adding, "'Hypothetically."'

"'He's looking this way in reality,"' Sonny said quickly.

They turned on the best fake flirting show anyone had ever seen. The plan would've worked perfectly; James was starting to get jealous judging by how many times he kept looking over at Sonny and Chad's table. When her cell phone started to moo, she happily looked at the caller ID.

"'He already wants me back!"' she declared, bouncing up and down.

"'Already,"' Chad repeated her, although his voice wasn't nearly as excited as hers.

"'I know!"' Sonny smiled at him as she read her text message again. "'How good are we?!"'

Everything would've gone fine from that point on if Nico and Grady hadn't joined Sonny and Chad at their booth. The two boys wanted to know what was going on, and when Sonny told them it was a fake date, Nico was saying how he would've been a better fake date than Chad.

James walked up just in time to hear the word fake. He asked if the date really was a fake one, and when Sonny said no, Nico and Grady wanted to know if she was lying to them. When she told them no, James asked if she was lying to him. Sonny had to lie to someone.

Since she saw Nico and Grady every day, Sonny decided it would be easier to explain the truth to them at a later time. She was going to do anything it took to prove to James she was on a real date.

"'Look, would I do this if I was on a fake date?"'

She covered Chad's mouth with her hand, hoping James wouldn't see that part of it. Then, taking a deep breath, she leaned in and pretended to kiss Chad.

It worked; James pulled out his cell phone, told Tawni to check her email, and Sonny jumped to her feet quickly, saying James couldn't dump Tawni for her because she was dumping him. Chad didn't back his friend up and he ended up leaving the arcade without Tawni or Sonny.

Declaring her job done, Tawni took off, and Nico and Grady lost interest in Sonny and Chad. The two teens sat alone at their table again, only this time, Sonny was across from him.

"'That was some kiss,"' Chad said, smiling cockily at Sonny.

"'What do you mean?"' Sonny let out an 'as if' laugh. "'That kiss was fake."'

"'Was not."'

"'Chad, I put my hand over your mouth."'

He sat there in surprise.

"'Well, that explains why your lips tasted like ski ball and air hockey."'

Sonny sighed as she asked, "'Do you actually think I would really kiss you?"'

He didn't think Sonny would actually kiss him; he knew she would someday. But for tonight, he had his answer ready.

"'Well, that's what I'm going to put on my blog."'

Before Sonny could respond, he tucked and rolled out of the booth, not stopping until he got to the door of the arcade. Once there, he turned to face Sonny and shouted loud enough for her to hear him:

"'Peace out, suckers!"'

He laughed like an idiot and ran out the doors. Sonny sat there, her arms folded over her chest, not quite sure what to think.

'Well…' She thought as she climbed to her feet, ready to find Nico and Grady so she could go back to the studio with someone she knew. 'At least I can say the past two days have been interesting!'

She had no idea how much more interesting her life was about to get.

***********

It turned out quite a few people were fans of Chad's blog. After he lied to the world and told them about the fake kiss which he claimed was real, people started going crazy. Sonny couldn't walk out of her dressing room without the actors from the other shows filmed at Condor Studios asking her about the kiss. If she tried to go outside, the media shoved microphones and cameras in her face, shouting question after question. All of her fan mail was either letters congratulating her or death threats from other girls who were beyond jealous.

"Well, aren't you little miss popular now," Tawni asked, the jealously clear in her voice as Sonny was handed a bagful of fan letters. "If I'd known kissing Chad Dylan Cooper would make me famous, I would've done it a long time ago."

"Tawni, you were there, you know I didn't really kiss him," Sonny explained. "Trust me; I would rather be getting all these letters because of my acting skills. I hate being known for something that's not even true."

"Uh huh."

It was obvious by Tawni's tone that she didn't believe Sonny.

"Tawni, you do know the kiss was fake, right?" Sonny asked, speaking slowly and clearly. Sometimes Tawni didn't seem to understand things as quickly as she should. "Come on, I really need you on my side here. You're one of the only people who know the truth!"

"To be honest, Sonny, I never saw you put your hand over Chad's mouth," Tawni admitted. "I think you're just trying to make everyone think you did that because you don't want to admit you like Chad."

Sonny couldn't believe what she was hearing. Tawni, a witness to the fake kiss, didn't believe it was fake. Chad, the coolest actor with tweens, stated the kiss was real, which led the world to believe him over anyone else.

Was there not even one person who would listen to Sonny?

"Oh, come on, Tawni," she pleaded. "You know about the rivalry between So Random! and Mackenzie Falls."

"Of course I do," she agreed. "But I also know how hard you've tried to end that rivalry. Sonny, why won't you just admit to liking Chad? I know he likes you, too."

"I won't admit to it because I don't-,"

Sonny's voice trailed off as she took a second to take in what Tawni had said.

"Wait…..How do you know Chad likes me?" she asked.

"You weren't there when I told him about your and James's date," Tawni replied, laughing as she spoke. "He didn't say he liked you, but it was obvious by the way he totally overreacted."

So Chad really did like her? Sonny wasn't sure; like she'd told James, the thing between her and Chad was strange. One second they hated each other, the next they were out on a fake date, holding hands and fake kissing. That boy spun her head around enough to give her whiplash.

If he did really like her, that explained why he showed up on her date. Tawni had gone to try to prevent Sonny from getting hurt, but Chad didn't really have a reason, other than the lame excuse he gave, which was he wanted to hang out with his 'bro.' It would also explain why he agreed to the fake date so quickly, and why he wanted his blog to say they'd kissed when they really hadn't.

Tawni's suggestion, as unlikely as it sounded, was the one that made the most sense. There was only one way to find out for sure.

As Sonny turned to walk out of the room, she stopped and faced Tawni again. She had one last question to ask before heading over to the set of Mackenzie Falls.

"Uh, Tawni? Why do you want me to tell Chad I like him? I thought you hated everyone at Mackenzie Falls."

"I don't hate them; they hate me," Tawni replied, putting her hand over her heart. "I think Chad's annoying and self-centered and shouldn't have his own television show, but I don't think he's a bad person. If the two of you want to be together, I don't think you should let your shows get in the way."

Sonny nodded before waving her goodbye; it was time to put a stop to all the lies. She was going to confront Chad about his blog.

Was Tawni right? If Chad did have a crush on her, Sonny could just tell him the truth that she felt the same way about him. The world was already going crazy over what they thought of as one little kiss. What would happen if Chad and Sonny started dating?

She decided not to think about that as she marched toward the set of Mackenzie Falls, ignoring anyone who stopped along the way to ask her about the kiss. The conversation she was about to have with Chad would determine what would happen between them.

If she was lucky, this would be her last conversation with Chad as just friends.

***********

"What do you mean 'no'?"

Sonny thought she made herself pretty clear. She'd walked over to the Mackenzie Falls set, pounded on Chad's dressing room door until he let her in, and gave him two options: #1: he could change his blog so it no longer said the two of them had kissed or #2: he could make up for it by asking her out.

How did 'no' fit with either of his choices?

Chad sat on the stool in front of his mirror, reminding Sonny of the night so long ago they'd played a game one-on-one of Musical Chairs. She tried to shake that thought out of her head. They were no longer playing a game. This was a serious conversation and she was dying to hear the next words to come out of his mouth.

"Oh, Sonny," he said, letting out a small chuckle. "The truth is, I would love to ask you out. But neither of us like each other enough for that."

Sonny stood there, feeling her jaw drop. After all this time, Chad was saying he didn't like her? After all of their fights and make-ups and him following her on her date…It all meant nothing to him?

There was a gap between the stool and the place where Sonny was standing, but when Chad reached out his hand, begging for Sonny to take it, she complied. He stretched her arm across the space and used it to gently brush her fingertips against his cheek.

Both teens had a reaction to the touch. Sonny almost fell to the ground as her knees grew weak and Chad shivered slightly. He'd never felt anything so good in his entire life. It made it that much harder to say his next sentence, but he kept Sonny's fingers where they were, not willing to have her touch gone yet.

"I can see you like me, Sonny," he said in a soft voice. "And I hope you know by now that I like you as well. But we're not in love with each other yet. Obviously, you're still looking at other guys, and I'm still interested in other girls. We can't be together until we're both able to put aside our other feelings and can devote to each other."

For a moment, Sonny fell into the trap Chad's words wanted to put her in. She listened to them and believed them, knowing he was right. She just had to stop looking at other boys until she could only focus on Chad and-

"Wait." She pulled her hand out of Chad's, bringing it back to her side. "We're really going to try this?"

"I can't see a reason not to," Chad replied, shrugging. He reached out and brushed a strand of Sonny's hair behind her ear, watching as she flinched at his touch. "Sonny, who cares if our casts want us together or not? They can learn to deal with it. If you can handle not dating anyone else for awhile so we both know you're really in love with me, then I say we can finally start dating."

Sonny felt like she was going to faint. Chad was touching her, his lingering hand actually holding her cheek, and he was promising they could try dating. All she had to do was prove she really loved him and then-

"What about you?" Her voice sounded curious as she leaned into Chad's touch, trying to question him with her eyes. "How are you going to prove you love me?"

"I'm Chad Dylan Cooper," he replied, letting out an 'isn't that obvious?' laugh. "I can have any girl I want. Picking you over them is enough to prove my love."

That was all it took for Sonny to come out of her trance. She stepped farther away from Chad, letting his hand fall limp. When he extended it toward her again, begging her to take it, she slapped it away.

"So, let me get this straight," she said. Chad could hear the anger in her voice, but he kept his mouth shut. It would be better to let her go through her little rant. "As we try to find our way out of liking each other and into love, you're going to be flirting with all the girls you can while I can't even go on one lousy date without you following me?!"

"Well, I didn't say that, exactly, but-,"

"I can't believe I thought I was falling for you," Sonny cut him off. "Chad Dylan Cooper, you really are the world's biggest jerk! Forget about trying to fall in love; I barely even like you anymore!"

Chad knew Sonny was lying as she turned her back on him and stomped to the door. No one could stop liking someone just because they decided it was time to stop. It took a long time for the heart to stop the emotions. There was no way Sonny had mastered hers in seconds.

She turned back to face him, stopping in the doorway.

"Just for your information, I could less if you take the kiss off your blog. I have a blog, too, and I can put the truth out anytime I want! And next time I make a date with some guy, don't stalk me, ok? Stay out of my life from now on, Cooper!"

If only life was that easy.


	10. Episode 10: Sonny and the Studio Brat

Thanks for sticking with me through nine episodes so far and now a tenth. This one, once again, is mainly recap until the end, so if you're one of those people who just want to read the new stuff, I suppose you could just scroll down until you find out. I'm looking forward to hearing what you think about this one. I might've gone a little bit out of character this time, but it's hard to keep them in character when you're not the one who made them up because you're not 100% sure how they would react to something. But anyway, I hope you at least have fun reading it.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Sonny With a Chance, although I did watch this episode today!

Episode #10:

Sonny and the Studio Brat

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Date Nine Year Olds**

After everything that went down between the two of them, Sonny no longer wanted to see Chad. Even putting up with him during lunch was almost unbearable, much less the one-on-one meetings her heart craved for. Who was she trying to kid when she said she didn't like him? He was Chad Dylan Cooper, after all; who didn't like him?!

Sonny was happy when she was given a task that would surely take her mind of the blonde heartthrob. She was going to show a charity child around the So Random! set all day long. At least the little girl would be excited enough about her first time visiting a real television show. Maybe she could motivate Sonny a little bit with her enthusiasm.

Before the little girl arrived, Sonny tried to get herself into a happy mood. She and Tawni hung out in the lunch room, Tawni complaining about there not being enough pictures of her in a magazine as Sonny put together a basket of muffins for the charity girl. As the two girls sat down at their usual table, Sonny explained that she was going to be the ambassador of fun.

"'Who nominated you ambassador of fun?"' Tawni asked, looking confused.

"'Well, I did,"' Sonny replied, smiling a huge grin. "'I even have a hat!"'

She pulled out the dumbest looking hat Tawni had ever seen. It was red with the words Ambassador of Fun written in white letters. A string held the hat in place under Sonny's chin, and the thing on top spun around in circles.

Chad picked then to walk up to the table. He didn't speak to Sonny at first (since no one knew about their true feelings which, according to Sonny didn't exist anyway, they acted the same way they always did in public), but instead looked over Tawni's shoulder at the magazine.

"'Ah, hey, look at that. It's me and my cast at every hot club in Hollywood,"' he said, pointing to a page full of Mackenzie Falls cast photos. Then, he let his attention turn over to Sonny. "'Oh, and you in a dumb hat."'

He spun the topper, letting it spin around and around. Sonny didn't even look at him. She and Tawni exchanged looks and sighed as Chad sat down with them. Why couldn't he leave them alone and sit with his own cast?

Tawni tried telling Chad that she and the rest of her cast didn't care if they were invited to the clubs, but when he told her what page to look at and she found a picture of Nico and Grady dressed in cheese pants, she glared at Sonny.

"'This is why we never get invited anywhere cool!"' she exclaimed.

""Yeah, sure,"' Chad said, watching as Sonny spun the topper on her hat by herself. "'It's the pants."'

Once Sonny realized Chad was making fun of her, she rolled her eyes.

"'Chad, you are so superficial,"' she stated.

"'Yeah, all I hear from that is, 'Chad, you are so super!' blah blah blah,"' he replied, moving his fingers like they were Sonny's lips.

He loved moments like these when he could pick on Sonny. Since they couldn't be alone anymore and she was trying to prove her words true (meaning, of course, that she had no crush on him whatsoever), he found it fun to say all the annoying things to her he could. The more annoyed she got, the more he smiled. He finally understood why boys picked on their crushes when they were little kids. It was just too much fun not to.

The happy table broke apart and Chad had to stop playing his games for now. Sonny was thankful. Talking to Chad wasn't helping her keep her mind off him. As soon as he was out of sight, she started concentrating on the charity girl and what fun activities the two of them would do together.

Time passed quickly and finally, Sonny was able to meet the girl.

"'Dakota!"' she cried happily, running up with a huge basket. After all the teasing the hat had gotten her, she'd finally taken it off her head. "'Hi, I'm Sonny, I'm so happy you're here! I'm going to give you the best day of your little life!"'

Dakota stayed interested in So Random! long enough for Sonny to show her the gifts inside the basket. Just as they were walking past a sign for Mackenzie Falls, Dakota suddenly became distracted.

"'Mackenzie Falls shoots here?!"' She turned to face Sonny, her face lit up like Christmas morning. "'I had no idea. I love Chad Dylan Cooper."'

"'Yeah,"' Sonny said in fake happiness before folding her arms over her chest and staring at the wall. "'So does Chad Dylan Cooper."'

More than anything else, Dakota wanted to meet Chad. Sonny didn't want to call him. She was trying to get him out of her mind, not stuck in it. But she couldn't let a girl from a charity down.

"'Just watch me dial my cell phone,"' she promised, already punching in Chad's number.

Of course, the phone went straight to the answering machine. Sonny waited through the message, hoping she'd hear a beep at the end so she could ask Chad to call her back. The recording made her rethink that plan quickly.

"'This is Chad Dylan Cooper. Sorry I can't come to the phone right now cuz if you were important enough, you'd have the number to the phone I'd answer."'

Sonny hung up her phone, gave Dakota a huge smile, and did the one thing she knew all little kids loved:

"'Let's go get some ice cream!"'

Dakota kept acting sad all day. Whenever something didn't go her way, she'd sigh and tell Sonny she was used to disappointment. Feeling bad for the girl, Sonny tried to call Chad again.

This time, his phone rang.

"'CDC here."'

"'Really, Chad?"' Sonny asked, rolling her eyes.

"'Sonny?"' Chad's voice sounded surprised. "'Oh, man, I answered the wrong phone!"'

Sonny chose to ignore that comment.

"'Look, I need a favor,"' she said instead. "'I have the sweetest girl here and she really wants to meet you."'

Part of the reason Sonny didn't say right away how young Dakota was was because she wanted to hear Chad's reaction. Was he really still looking at other girls? Were they really giving up on each other?

"'Ohh, tell me what she looks like!"'

Apparently he was looking at other girls and, yes, they were giving up on each other. She shrugged her shoulders, telling herself it didn't matter. She was fine just being friends with Chad. She could handle being friends.

Unfortunately, Dakota couldn't handle it. She wanted to meet Chad and she was willing to do whatever it took to get what she wanted. As she later revealed to the So Random! cast, she wasn't really from a charity; she made up one using the letters C-H-A-D.

Dakota was more obsessed with Chad than Chad was.

By that time, the So Random! cast was ready to get rid of their guest, but when they found out she was the daughter of Mr. Condor, the owner of the studio, they realized they had to do whatever she wanted or else their show would be done for. It was left up to Sonny, the only one who ever talked to Chad, to make sure the two of them got to meet.

When Sonny came running up to him in the hall, begging him to please meet the girl, Chad wouldn't have agreed to it if he hadn't wanted something from her. There were pictures online of her cast mates hitting the coolest club, The Basement. He wanted in.

"'Ok, I will do whatever. I just need to get into The Basement,"' he informed her, not listening when she tried to explain who the girl was.

If Chad didn't want to know, then she wasn't going to force him to listen to her. Sonny agreed to get him into the club-

Then walked back to the prop house and found out The Basement wasn't real. Her cast mates had pretended to make a club so they could become more popular than Mackenzie Falls.

"'Do you think you could build it again?"' she asked them.

Keeping it a secret from both Chad and Mr. Condor (who, for some reason, asked if he could come to The Basement as well), the So Random! crew rebuilt the fake club. Tawni led Chad in with a blindfold over his eyes. The first thing he saw upon taking it off was Sonny dancing with a little girl.

"'Chad,"' she greeted him in a cheery voice.

"'Sonny,"' he replied curtly. "'Alright, let's get this over with. What's the punch line to your funny little story?"'

"'Chad, Dakota,"' Sonny said, pointing to the little girl and letting her take off her blindfold. "'Dakota-,"'

"'CHAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"'

Sonny picked up Dakota so she could feel his hair, walked her to the back so she could see how perfect it was from back there, then took her to the front again as a song she liked started to play.

"'Let's dance,"' she ordered, putting her hands on Chad's arms.

Chad wasn't quite sure what to do. Sonny was still holding Dakota up, so he had no idea where to put his hands. Finally he decided on letting them rest at her sides, right below Sonny's.

It was weird dancing with Dakota and Sonny at the same time. Chad and Sonny made faces at each other while Dakota wasn't looking until Sonny couldn't take it anymore. Claiming she felt like a third-wheel, she set the girl down and walked away.

Chad tried to escape, too. He danced with Dakota for a few more moments then said he wanted to dance with someone who wasn't her. He looked at Sonny as he spoke and she glared back, so he walked over to two other girls instead. They rejected him when they saw Dakota sitting on his leg.

Just as Chad was about to tell Dakota off, Mr. Condor entered the room. He tried to tell his boss what was going on and how annoying the girl was being, but that was when he got a surprise.

"'Daddy!"' Dakota cried, running into Mr. Condor's arms.

"'Oh……Daddy?!"'

Chad turned to find Sonny, but she was already walking up to him, a huge smile on her face. He was the one who hadn't wanted to know anything about the poor charity girl.

"'Yeah, there's your funny little punch line,"' she told him, trying not to laugh.

But her laughter was cut short when Mr. Condor started yelling at her for bringing his daughter to a Hollywood club. When Chad thought he was in the safe zone and started to rub it in Sonny's face, Mr. Condor rounded on him. He and Sonny took several steps backwards as the yelling went on, only stopping when Sonny accidentally bumped into something behind her.

The walls of the fake club fell one by one. Everyone ran around the room, screaming, and Sonny found herself clutching at Chad. To her surprise, he didn't push her away. Maybe he was too scared to notice. After all, he had no idea the club was a fake. He probably thought it was really falling.

After everything was said and done, Mr. Condor believed Sonny had made the club just to do something nice for his daughter since she couldn't get into a real club. The two of them left together.

Chad wasn't so easy to get rid of. He wanted to put the pictures of the fake club online and totally embarrass the So Random! cast. Tawni threatened to put up pictures of him dancing with Dakota. Sonny stepped between the two of them, ordering them both to delete the pictures.

The pictures got deleted, Sonny suggested dancing, and the fake club became alive again. She stayed in her spot between Tawni and Chad as she danced and was surprised when neither of them left right away.

Maybe, despite everything she and Chad had been through, they could still be somewhat friends. Or maybe she would just have to go crazy trying to figure out what the two of them were.

Either way, she smiled up at him as they danced. She missed hanging out with him and was loving every moment of the dancing. It seemed like he was too; he smiled back at her and it wasn't even in a mean way.

In Sonny's book, they were back at the friend level.

***********

Sonny was getting ready to leave that night. She was in her dressing room, gathering the last few things she needed before heading home. Tawni had left hours ago and Sonny hadn't heard anyone walking around in the studio for awhile. She thought she was there alone.

That's why she jumped about a foot in the air when there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" she asked, pressing her ear to the door. If it was some kind of murderer who had been spying on her and decided to strike while she was alone, she wasn't going to be stupid enough to let them in.

"CDC at your services."

CDC? Sonny only knew of one person who had those initials, and she had no idea why he would be standing right outside her room. Still, the voice did sound familiar, not raspy like she pictured a murderer to sound like, so she pulled open the door.

Sure enough, there stood the one and only Chad Dylan Cooper, leaning forward so one hand could rest on the doorframe, the other holding a huge bouquet of-

"Roses?" Sonny's voice sounded surprised even to her own ears. "What are the roses for, Chad?"

"I was thinking about everything we've been through lately," he answered, his eyes on the roses, avoiding Sonny's. "I thought about how mad you got after our last conversation and how wrong I was to interrupt your date with James. I shouldn't have done that unless I was going to say something to you to justify my actions, like I wanted to be your boyfriend and didn't want him to be. But I didn't tell you that; I got your hopes up and then crushed them and-,"

Sighing loudly, Chad extended his arm, offering the roses to Sonny. She took them slowly, still not sure if this was really happening.

Chad seemed to read Sonny's mind and knew she wasn't exactly sure what was going on. He sighed again, this time louder.

"I'm sorry."

Sonny couldn't believe her ears. Chad was apologizing? The Chad Dylan Cooper who called himself the greatest actor of all time and who didn't have any flaws was saying he was sorry?

Chad looked at Sonny, trying to read the expression in her eyes.

"So," he said when he couldn't tell what she was thinking. "Are we cool?"

He'd showed up with roses and an 'I'm sorry,' on top of that and didn't think Sonny would forgive him?

She smiled as she put the roses to her nose, taking in a long sniff. She loved the smell of flowers and she closed her eyes, trying to let it all soak in. When she opened them again, she saw Chad was still staring at her, waiting for her answer.

"Oh, we are so cool," she told him, giggling softly.

Chad returned the smile. Seeing Sonny standing there, the roses matching the blush in her cheeks, did something to him. He wanted to kiss her more than any of their other alone moments.

But he knew he couldn't, not after apologizing for not dating her. Kissing her would once again bring her to the dating road and he'd be putting his chances of ever being friends with her in very hot water.

No, it would be better to get away as soon as possible, before he could give in to his desires.

"Good," he said, taking a step backwards.

"Good," Sonny replied, the roses lowering to her chest so she could talk easier.

"Fine," Chad continued their game.

"Fine," Sonny shot back.

And then, he decided to change it up a little bit.

"Have a good night, Munroe."

"You too, Cooper."

He was half way down the hall, Sonny was standing in her doorway, but since the set was so quiet, he didn't have to shout for her to hear his next words.

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

"You can count on it."

It was that promise that let Chad have good dreams for the first time since he and Sonny had started fighting. He liked the dreams better than the tossing and turning all night long.


	11. Episode 11: Promises, Prommisses

I couldn't upload anything new today and it was really kind of annoying, so I'm going to upload as much as I can while I have the chance. If chapters start coming up faster than you care to read them, don't feel like you have to rush. I just really want to get this thing posted because I have another idea for Sonny and Chad that I would like to start soon.

Disclaimer: I never have nor ever will own Sonny With a Chance

Episode #11:

Promises, Prom-misses

**Chad Dylan Cooper Has To Do What You Tell Him Not To Do**

Their friendship renewed, Sonny and Chad looked forward to going to work every day and the conversations they had while there. Who cared if they were back to the whole hating each other to hide their true feelings thing, even though the other had no idea that's what the other of them was doing. At least they were finally able to talk again.

Their first major conversation happened when Sonny accidentally ran into Chad in the hallway.

"'I'm just a little bummed,"' she explained after a few small remarks and Chad asked what was wrong with her. "'I missed my prom back home and I just got some pictures from my best friends."'

"'You're not missing much,"' Chad tried in his own way to comfort her. "'I've been to bunch of proms and they have all ended in disaster."'

"'Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that,"' Sonny replied, actually looking sad.

With that, Chad started telling Sonny about his different proms. She listened, ready to tell him how sorry she felt, but it didn't take her long to let her mouth drop.

"'Chad, those are fake proms,"' she said once she realized he was only talking about Mackenzie Falls episodes.

"'Fake proms, real proms…They all stink."'

He tried to walk around her, but she stopped him again when she cried out.

"'No they don't; they're romantic!"' He was facing her again as she went on. "You know, a girl dreams her whole life about going to prom and having that perfect dance with a very special guy."'

She got a dreamy look on her face as her voice trailed off.

"'Then he gets hit on the head by a faulty disco ball,"' Chad brought her back to reality. "'Episode 16."'

"'You know what, Chad?"' Sonny folded her arms over her chest as she glared at him. "'You wouldn't know a real romance if it punched you in the face."'

She might've been right about that one. There he was, standing in the middle of the hall, fighting with the girl he had an on again/off again relationship with. It could've been real romance between the two of them if they were both willing to take the punch.

Not wanting to go down that road again, Chad didn't bring it up and decided to keep fighting instead.

"'In fact, you wouldn't know a real punch in the face if it punched you in the face,"' Sonny went on before he could say a word. "'Because there's noting real about you."'

"'Well, here's something real for you,"' Chad finally jumped at his chance to speak. "'I really don't want to stand here and talk to you."'

"'Good,"' Sonny replied, trying not to look hurt, "'Because I really don't want to stand here and talk to you!"'

"'Good,"' Chad shot back.

"'Good."'

"'Good."'

Sonny turned her back and walked away, her cell phone in her hand. Chad barely had time to turn in the opposite direction before his phone starting ringing.

"'Hello?"' he answered, not bothering to check the caller ID.

"'Good!"'

To his surprise, Sonny was facing him again, now standing several feet away, her phone pressed to his ear. He sent her a look and she smiled, hung up, and really walked away this time.

Yeah, like he was really going to let her off the hook that easily.

As Sonny walked back to the prop house, where she knew her cast mates were gathered, she didn't get to take her cell phone away from her ear the entire way. Chad called before she could even get out of the hallway they'd met in and the conversation started all over again.

Tawni, Nico, Grady, and Zora knew when Sonny was getting close. They could hear the end of her phone call.

"'Good!"'

They could only guess what Chad said in reply.

"'Good!"' Sonny shouted in response to whatever he said.

Once again, all four of them had a pretty good idea what came out of Chad's mouth next.

"'Good and goodbye!"' Sonny shouted one last time, hanging up her phone.

When she saw everyone was staring at her, she smiled at them nervously.

"'Chad says hi,"' she lied.

When Tawni asked what the Mackenzie Falls star had really said, Sonny explained how he thought all proms were stupid. She thought for sure her friends would know he was wrong, but when she told them as much, all they did was stare at her. None of them had ever attended a prom before. After Sonny agreed to take care of all the work, they said having their own prom sounded like a great idea.

Just as Sonny was finishing her conversation with them, excited about starting the prom planning, her cell phone rang. Without checking to see who it was, she put it to her ear.

"'Hello?"' she answered happily.

"'Good!"' Chad's voice replied.

Sonny tried to bite back her tongue as she hung up, not daring to say a word for fear she might say something she'd regret. She was in too good of a mood to let Chad bring her down.

The only problem with the prom was that when Sonny asked Marshall for permission to have one, he told her no. She tried fighting with him, but he stayed firm on his answer. When she told her cast mates about it, they were disappointed and accused her of always playing by the rules. In an effort to prove them wrong, Sonny declared the prom was still a go; only now, it would be a secret prom instead.

As Sonny and her cast mates were hurrying to decorate the room for their prom while Marshall was busy, Chad pulled Sonny aside.

"'Oh, hey, Sonny-,"'

"'Hey, Chad,"' she replied, walking past him. "'Sorry, I can't talk, I'm in a hurry."'

"'Oh, right, right,"' he called after her. "'That secret prom."'

She stopped in front of the doors her cast had just disappeared through, finally turning her attention to Chad. She looked horrified.

"'Yeah, not much of a secret when every kid in the lot is walking around with fliers that read secret prom,"' he went on, whispering the last two words as he held up one of the many fliers Sonny had made.

"'Aren't you excited?"' Sonny asked, her horrified face replaced with a huge smile. She walked to stand beside him, a disco ball in her hands. "'I am so excited. I mean, I'm even excited about how excited I am!"'

"'Yeah!"' Chad replied, mocking Sonny's happy tone. "'We're not really feeling that over at the Falls. Mostly we just think it's…….dumb."'

As quickly as it came, Sonny's smile was gone.

"'Well, if you think it's so dumb, then maybe you and your little snobby friends at Mackenzie Falls shouldn't come,"' she said.

"'Oh, maybe we won't,"' Chad replied.

"'Good, because you're officially uninvited."'

"'Good, because we officially wouldn't have come anyway."'

"'You're only saying that because I just uninvited you."'

"'You're only uninviting me because I just said I didn't want to come."'

Oh yes, Chad Dylan Cooper might've had a crush on Sonny, but his favorite thing to do with her was drive her crazy. He was doing so at that moment.

"'Are we done here?"' she asked him.

"'Oh, we're beyond done,"' he answered.

"'Good."'

"'Good."'

"'Good."'

"'Good."'

"So, we're good?"' Sonny confirmed.

"Oh, we are so good,"' Chad finished.

They took off in their opposite directions, not turning to look at each other again.

Because the prom was a secret, the goal of the So Random! cast was to keep Marshall too busy to figure out what was going on. Since Sonny was the one in charge of prom, it wasn't a good sign when she was the one who got dragged into his office.

After Nico and Zora saved her, Sonny finally got to attend her prom, but it wasn't as easy as she thought. By the time she got there, the food was gone and she had to replace it. Every time she got to the door with the new food, something bad would happen to make her either drop it on the floor or spill on her dress. The time she dropped it on the floor, a foot stepped on some of it before she could pick it all up.

"'Hey, I had three more seconds!"' she cried from her spot on the ground. When she looked up to see who owned the foot, she stopped yelling. "'Chad? What are you doing here? You weren't invited."'

She was standing back to her full height as Chad replied.

"'Well, I was invited, but I didn't want to go, then I was uninvited, so I knew I had to go."'

He started to walk past Sonny and into the prom, but she stepped in front of him quickly, blocking him from opening the door.

"'No, no, no, no,"' she protested. "'You're not going into my prom before I do."' When he reached for some of the food, she pulled it out of his reach. "'And these are for invited guests."'

"'So you're saying I can't have one?"' he asked her, trying to clarify her words.

"'Yeah, you heard me."'

"'Well, then I have to have one,"' he said, rolling his eyes and stealing one as he stepped around her. He was now by the doors leading into the prom, staring at a distraught Sonny.

"'Mm, this tastes good,"' he said, making sure she was watching him as he chewed. "'You know where it would taste better? In your prom!"'

He winked at her, gave her his signature thumbs-up, and then pushed open the door, leaving Sonny behind to take care of the food.

It was a long night. One dress change and agreement to have a real prom with Marshall's approval later, Sonny stood alone at the prom she'd thrown but hadn't been able to attend for five minutes. Already her cast was gone, thanking her and apologizing as they left.

She knew she should've followed them, but Sonny wasn't ready to leave yet. She couldn't believe her perfect night hadn't happened. 'Oh well,' she thought as she looked around the now clean room, all traces of her prom gone. 'At least everyone seemed to have a good time at my prom.'

Just as she was getting ready to leave, she heard footsteps walking toward her.

"'Hey,"' a voice greeted. "'I see you finally made it."'

"'Chad?"' she sounded more than a little surprised. "'What are you still doing here? I thought you'd be the first to go."'

"'Which is exactly why I had to be the last to go,"' he explained.

Sonny gave him a weak smile. She shook her head slightly before speaking again.

"'Well, Chad, you were right,"' she started. "'All proms end in disaster."'

"'Do they, Sonny?"' he asked, smiling. Usually he liked being told he was right, but he didn't like it when it was Sonny saying it in a depressed manner. "'Do they really? Because sometimes I heard you get to have that perfect dance with that one special person."'

He could see the shock in Sonny's eyes as he approached her, pulling earphones out of the pocket in his tux. He held one out where she could reach it.

"'You're just going to have to settle for me."'

Sonny smiled as she accepted the earphone. They both placed them in their ears and then, without any fuss, they held each other close and started swaying. Sonny let out a nervous laugh.

"'This is sweet,"' she commented.

"'Yeah, I have my moments,"' he replied, smiling down at her.

"'Are you going to press play?"'

"'Oh."' He quickly reached into his tux again. "Right. Sorry."'

Music filled both of their ears. Chad hadn't stopped to see what the song was before hitting play, so when the song wasn't slow, he and Sonny glanced at each other for a second. Then, instead of holding each other close, they started dancing side by side instead, each of them in their own style.

It would've been the perfect ending to the perfect night-

If all of Sonny's cast didn't decide to come back. They joined in with the dancing and Chad found it hard to concentrate on just Sonny. How could he? She didn't think he had feelings for her, and if he did something like that, he'd be telling everyone he did.

He took turns looking between Sonny and Tawni, who was dancing beside him, hitting her hip with his every now and then. He didn't want to dance with the blonde girl, but if it would keep him and Sonny from fighting about their relationship again, he was willing to do it. He couldn't stand another fight.

It was after midnight before the last of the So Random! cast left. Sonny, looking very tired but happy at the same time, was about to follow them out the door when Chad grabbed her hand.

"I didn't mean to play a fast song when we first started dancing," he explained, answering her unasked question. "Can I have one last dance with you?"

Even though his question surprised her, Sonny nodded her head.

"I think my feet can handle one last dance," she replied.

Since the CD player had belonged to Nico and he took it with him when he left, Chad pulled the earphones back out. Sonny took hers, he took his, and he took one of her hands in his, letting his other rest on her hip as she put hers on his shoulder. This time, the song they could both hear was slow and gentle.

They made slow circles around the room, neither of them wanting to forget this moment. It was perfect. They were finally alone, at their own secret prom, and were able to dance together without either of their casts interfering.

This time, it really was the perfect ending to the perfect night.

The music slowed down even more near the end. Chad slowed the circles he was leading Sonny through. Her head, which had come to rest on his shoulder, shot up and she looked into his eyes.

Chad was wrong; the night wasn't perfect yet. There was one thing he could do to make it that way……

Sonny was the one leaning toward him this time, not the other way around. She was the one pushing down on his shoulder as she tried to raise herself up. Her eyes closed and Chad closed his as well, ready for the moment they'd both waited too long for.

Just as they were about to kiss-

Loud rock music started playing through the earphones. Sonny pulled away from Chad quickly, taking the earphone from her ear. Chad followed her example and reached for her again once he had everything put away. This time, Sonny shook her head.

"Thanks for the great night, Chad," she said softly. "I had a lot of fun."

"So did I," Chad replied truthfully. "I guess proms aren't as dumb as the rest of my cast thinks. Not when you spend them with the right person, anyway."

Sonny smiled, took Chad's hand one last time, and squeezed it tightly. Without saying another word, she winked and walked out of the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

He hurried after her, wanting to get home and into bed. He wanted to relive every moment of the night in his dreams.


	12. Episode 12: The Heartbreak Kids

I couldn't really think of a lot to add to this episode. If you can think of anything I can do or anything you'd like to see done other than this, please let me know. Thanks for reading!

Episode #12:

The Heartbreak Kids

**Chad Dylan Cooper Always Follows His Script**

It was Sonny's idea to get Marshall and the teacher of the So Random! cast together. She thought it would be a good idea at first. After all, they were both single and seemed lonely. But after the teacher started getting a bigger say in the show and wanted Sonny to eat real worms, it was time to end the relationship.

Sonny went to the one person who she knew had been in a lot of relationships and had broken more than one heart: Chad Dylan Cooper.

"'Chad, you are the most self-centered, cold hearted, soulless person I know,"' she said to him, randomly walking up and then walking away again. She was hoping he would stop her before she could get too far.

"'Thank you,"' he fell for it. "'What do you want from me?"'

"'I need you to help me break up Bitterman and Marshall,"' she explained.

"Well, I am on a roll,"' he replied, shrugging his shoulders and reaching for his cell phone. "What are their numbers?"'

"'You can't text them. They're grown-ups. They don't know how."'

"'Ok,"' Chad said before falling silent as he thought. "'Uh, then you and I are going to have to go to Lookout Mountain."'

"'What?! I'm not going to Lookout Mountain with you; that's a date place!"'

"'Do you want them broken up?"' Chad asked, tucking his cell phone back into his coat.

"'Yes,"' Sonny replied. Hadn't she just explained that?

"'Pick you up at eight."'

Before Sonny could try protesting again, Chad walked away. She watched him go, making sure he wasn't going to turn back around. When he didn't, she allowed herself a small smile.

Tonight was going to be fun.

Sonny spent most of the rest of the day getting ready for her date with Chad. She knew it wasn't a real date. He was only taking her to a date place to break up Marshall and Bitterman. Still, she also knew there wasn't much work going on with her cast mates since they were too mad about the relationship. It was easy for her to slip away all day and get ready to go.

Before she knew it, it was eight and she was getting into Chad's car. He smiled at her, opened the door for her, and then drove to Lookout Mountain. Once the car was parked and the two of them were sitting under the stars, Sonny started to get nervous.

"'Wow, Chad,"' she said, just trying to make conversation. "Lookout Mountain is beautiful, romantic….All the stars are so bright."'

He made a joke about the stars not having their own show, Sonny laughed a little bit too loud, and then she stopped, apologizing.

"'Normally I wouldn't laugh at that,"' she said, avoiding his eyes, "'But…..I guess I'm just a little nervous."'

"'Relax,"' he ordered, keeping his voice smooth. "'I promised an unforgettable evening, didn't I?"'

"'Yeah, you did,"' Sonny replied, the smile still on her face.

"'Well, I'm a man of my word."'

That was all he had time to say before a growl was heard, something jumped out of the bushes, and Sonny started screaming. Even though Chad knew what was going on, he let Sonny grab his hand and fake screamed with her.

"'What are you doing here?!"' he demanded, still holding Sonny's hand. "'This is the wrong car!"'

"'Wait a minute."' Sonny seemed to calm down a tiny bit. "'You know Bigfoot?!"'

"Yeah, so do you,"' Chad answered, rolling his eyes.

It wasn't supposed to happen like that. Nico and Grady were supposed to wait to pop out with their Bigfoot costume until the car with Marshall and Bitterman showed up, not attack him and Sonny.

The romantic mood between the two of them was over and he had a feeling he wasn't going to be able to get her back in it now. The night was ruined.

Chad, Nico, and Grady worked together to explain the plan to Sonny, although Chad was the only one who pulled out a Mackenzie Falls script to help explain. Apparently his plan was to break up the couple by having Bigfoot jump out and scare them so that one of them would run away while the other would get mad and end the relationship, just as it happened in the episode.

"'Oh my gosh,"' she said once Chad was done explaining. "'That is the worse plan I've ever heard from the worse show I've never seen!"'

Chad let his mouth fall open in shock until he saw headlights reflecting off his car.

"'Oh, well here come the lovebirds,"' he informed her. "'So unless you like the chewy taste of worms….."'

Since there wasn't any time left to argue, Sonny ordered Nico to put his hat back on. Bigfoot went into hiding again and Sonny and Chad ducked down in the car so they wouldn't be seen. They could see everything going on in the car a few parking spots from them, but the couple inside had no idea they were there.

"'This is never going to work,"' Sonny said once she and Chad were sitting up straight again.

"'How do you know?"' he asked, playing along.

"'Because I know people!"'

"'Yeah, I know people, too,"' he told her.

Did she think she was the only person in the world who could get to know someone after spending time with them?

"'Oh yeah?"' she shot back. "'Well, I know them better. Watch. Marshall's going to put his arm around her."'

Sonny was already watching the car, but when Chad turned around so he could see too, he saw Sonny was right. Marshall did exactly as she said he was going to.

"'Oh yeah? Ok, well, now he's about to use some breath spray,"' Chad predicted.

Both teens turned their attention to the other car. This time, Marshall did exactly as Chad said. Just to prove his point and to annoy Sonny even more, Chad did a little victory dance in his seat.

"'Ok, well……"' Sonny paused as she tried to think of what else to say. "'Now he's going to try to kiss her."'

"'Wrong,"' Chad replied, showing Sonny his Mackenzie Falls script. "'Because here comes Bigfoot."'

Nico and Grady jumped out, Bitterman got out of the car, and as Sonny and Chad watched the teacher beat up on what she thought was a monster, Sonny began to feel guilty.

"'I can't let this happen,"' she said, opening her car door.

"'What? Wait!"' Chad couldn't do anything but shout as Sonny climbed out of the car. "Whoa, where are you going?"'

Sonny told Marshall the truth, apologized for trying to break the two of them up, and found out the whole night had only brought them closer together anyway. The first chance Nico and Grady had to get away from Bitterman, they jumped into Chad's car, where apparently a sleeping Tawni had been waiting in the backseat. Sonny watched with her mouth hanging open as the four of them drove away.

They were really just going to leave her alone at Lookout Mountain?

"Oh, don't worry about it, Sonny," Bitterman said. "We'll take you home as soon as our date is over, alright?"

Who knew a date could go on for so long? Sonny didn't want to watch the two adults (was there anything more gross?), so she stayed behind when the two of them left the car to go walking through the nearby woods. She sat on the parking lot sidewalk, her knees drawn up to her chest as she slumped.

"So much for an unforgettable night," she muttered. "Thanks a lot for stranding me, Chad. We'll see how much you like it when I return the favor."

That was when she was forced to shut her eyes because bright lights shone into them. When she could see again, she jumped to her feet in happiness.

Chad was back!

"Hey," he greeted, pushing open her door for her.

"You actually came back for me!" she exclaimed, climbing into the car, bouncing a few times as she sat down.

"I couldn't really wait for you earlier," Chad replied, helping her get her seatbelt on, hoping it would keep her from jumping again. He wanted to keep his car nice. "Your cast members were screaming at me to get going. So I took them back to the studio and then came to get you."

Sonny was more than a little happy she didn't have to wait for Marshall's date to end or ride home in the same car as the two of them. She was so happy in fact that she leaned over as far as her seatbelt would allow and wrapped her arms around Chad's neck.

Her hug was sudden and a little weird at first, but Chad didn't push her away. Secretly, he liked having her hanging off him like that.

"What was that for?" he asked, laughing nervously, when she finally let go.

"For caring enough about me to come back."

"Well, it wouldn't have been much of a date if I-,"

Chad stopped talking quickly. It wasn't a date. Just because Lookout Mountain was a date place didn't mean he and Sonny were on a real date. He couldn't believe he'd been stupid enough to say that word. Now Sonny would just get mad at him again and he'd have to come up with yet another way to apologize and-

To his surprise, Sonny didn't seem mad; instead, she laughed and leaned as close as she could to Chad, resting her head on his shoulder.

It was the greatest feeling in the world.

"Back to Condor Studios?" he asked, hoping his voice didn't sound as nervous to her as it did in his ears.

"Condor Studios," she confirmed, not moving her head.

Chad started driving again, glad Sonny was the first girl who he let sit in the passenger seat of his car. It was a special privilege to be first, and if there was any girl special enough to do it, Sonny was her.

Even dates just put together to break someone up could end perfectly.


	13. Episode 13: Battle of the Networks' Star

This is one of my longest chapters. Once again, a lot of it is recap. There were a lot of cute Sonny/Chad moments in this episode  Anyway, the new stuff is at the end if you want to skip ahead. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to let me know what you think of it!!

Disclaimer: If I owned Sonny With a Chance, Sonny and Chad would've told each other the truth after Selena walked off the set.

Episode #13:

Battle of the Networks' Stars

**Chad Dylan Cooper Decides How He Feels**

The cafeteria was full of people who looked just Tawni, Nico, and Grady. Sonny sat down at several tables, hoping to find her correct friends, before she ended up standing in the middle of the lunch room, completely lost.

It didn't take her long to find her real friends, all of whom were just as confused as she was. As they tried to figure out what was happening, Chad walked into the room.

"'I'm casting a TV movie about my life: Chad Dylan Cooper, The Chad Dylan Cooper Story. A Chad Dylan Cooper production,"' he explained to them.

When the four of them stared at him, he went on.

"'I need look-alikes to play the losers from So Random! No offense."'

As he set to work telling the first group of actors to start, Sonny took the megaphone from his hands and told everyone to stay where they were. She argued that she and her cast should be able to play themselves in the movie. It didn't take much convincing to get Chad to say yes.

"'Fine, fine, fine, you're all hired,"' he said, stealing back his megaphone. "'Except for Sonny."'

The smile she'd put on her face as soon as the first part of his words had left his mouth vanished when she heard the second part.

"'What?"' she asked slowly.

"'You have to audition,"' Chad explained.

Her cast mates left happily and Sonny closed the space they left between her and Chad as she started protesting.

"'I shouldn't have to audition; why do I have to audition?"'

"'Because apparently you're difficult to work with."'

He knew she wouldn't like his response, but it was better than telling her the truth: she had to audition because he wasn't sure he could have her on the set long enough to film a movie without falling in love with her. That answer, he was sure, would've earned him a slap to the face.

Sonny didn't take long to come up with a retort.

"'Look, I don't have to prove to anybody, least of all you, that I'm the best Sonny Munroe to play Sonny Munroe!"'

"'Do you want the part or not?"' he asked, raising his megaphone to his mouth.

No, Sonny didn't want to audition for the role, but at the same time, she didn't want to turn down her one chance to star in a movie. She stood there, staring at Chad as she tried to decide what to do-

The next thing she knew, she found herself in a small room, still staring at Chad as he sat in a director's chair, a script for his movie in her hands.

"'Ok,"' Chad explained, still using his megaphone (who's bright idea was it to give him that thing anyway?). "'State your name and the part you're here to read for."'

Sonny glared at him as she responded, "'Sonny Munroe, reading for the part of Sonny Munroe."'

"'There's that attitude again,"' Chad said to his cameraman, speaking loud enough for Sonny to hear him.

"'What?!"' Sonny exclaimed, ready to redeem herself.

"'And action!"' Chad shouted into his megaphone.

He started off the scene for her, saying the line he'd written and memorized ages ago. When Sonny started to reply, she stopped halfway through and glared at him again.

"'Are you kidding me with this?"'

"'Sonny, I am giving you a chance here, ok? Just read the lines,"' Chad ordered her. "'Let's, uh, let's skip ahead to where Sonny enters and punches my co-star. And action!"'

Instead of reading the lines on the page, Sonny started protesting again.

"'I never punched your co-star."'

It took only one word to set Sonny off:

"'Diva."'

"'Are you kidding me?"' She started walking toward Chad, the script in her hands forgotten about. "'I am so not a diva!"'

"'Really, Sonny? Really?"'

Chad stood up from his chair, but Sonny didn't want anything to do with him. She turned her back and started walking toward the door.

"'You know what? This is ridiculous. I'm out of here."'

"'Fine,"' Chad called to her retreating back.

"'Fine,"' she shot back, turning to face him again.

"'Good,"' he yelled.

"'Good,"' she yelled back. "'And you know what? Good luck trying to find a better me than me because nobody knows me the way that I know me!"'

Through her entire speech, Sonny was walking backward toward the door. Her words finally done, she turned her back to Chad again, pulled the door open-

And came face to face with Selena Gomez.

Chad Dylan Cooper might've been conceited, but he knew how to work Sonny Munroe. He knew from the very beginning she wasn't going to play Sonny in his movie; no way could the two of them be on set every day together without everyone thinking they liked each other. Eventually he may start to believe it too, and that just wouldn't work out.

He was more so the type of guy who could never settle down with one girl. Even though he did like Sonny, he couldn't commit to her. He still looked at other girls all the time. Dating her wouldn't be fair to either of them. Until he could learn to harness his feelings, he and Sonny couldn't date.

And until they could date, he didn't want rumors flying around that they liked each other. Therefore, Sonny couldn't be on the movie.

He'd gotten her as mad as he could during her audition. It was his plan all along to get her angry enough to storm out of the room. Selena Gomez was the best girl he could find to play Sonny, and yes, he had auditioned quite a few people. Selena was the only one who was a fairly good actress, had the same color hair as Sonny, and had a personality Chad could deal with all day long.

Although Chad had a good feeling about having Selena in the movie, he could tell by the look on Sonny's face she didn't feel the same way. He felt bad about not being able to give her the part, he really did. But it was just something he couldn't handle yet.

He watched as Sonny left the room angrily, wondering if she'd ever forgive him.

***********

One good thing about Chad hiring Selena to play her was that Sonny got to spend a lot of time with a famous movie star. Selena wanted to play Sonny truthfully and felt like she needed to follow her around all day long and talk into a microphone whenever she found any interesting out. Sonny was flattered by all the attention, but at the same time, she was furious with Chad.

He had no good reason not to hire her for the movie other than his excuse that she was hard to work with. Sure, she could be hard to work with sometimes, but only because he made it that way. He changed around what had really happened. She never called him the greatest actor of all time, she never punched his co-star……

Why would she act out herself doing things her real self had never done?

Why did it bother her so much Chad hadn't picked her for the part? She was being played by Selena Gomez, a great and beautiful actress who even kind of looked like Sonny in a weird way. She should've been honored to have her part played by Selena.

"'Well, I guess if someone has to play me, I'm glad it's Selena Gomez,"' she sighed after talking to the actress. "'If there's anything you want to know about me, just ask."'

Selena asked if Sonny was mad she got the part and she didn't, told her recorder that Sonny talked in a high voice when she was nervous, and Sonny denied that then explained that Chad was just doing a typical Chad thing and was just trying to push her buttons.

The first conversation ended with Selena telling the recorder Sonny 'had buttons.' The next time the two girls met was right before the first scene was about to be filmed. Selena wanted to go over the script with Sonny just to make sure she knew exactly how to play the part.

"'When this really happened, do you remember how you felt?"' she asked, referring to the scene when Sonny barged in on Mackenzie Falls.

Of course Sonny remembered how she felt that day. She had just met Chad, found out about the rivalry between the two shows, tried to put everything to peace with a picnic, and when the Mackenzie Falls cast tricked them, she confronted him about it. She had been angry that day, hopeful that maybe there was still hope for peace, and a little bit excited about speaking to Chad, despite what she knew about him and his snobby attitude.

But she wasn't going to tell all of that to Selena.

"'Ohh, probably mad because I'm always mad when I have to go see Chad,"' she said instead, adding in an eye roll for effect.

"'Right,"' Selena said slowly, "'But really you're mad at yourself because of how much you like him."'

"'Right."' Sonny's eyes widened when she realized what she had just agreed to. "'What?! I don't like Chad!"'

She remembered what Selena had said into her recorder during their first conversation, something about how her voice got higher when she lied.

"'I mean, I don't like Chad,"' she said again, lowering her voice.

"'Sure you do!"' Selena held the script out so Sonny could read it. "'It's right here in the script."'

"'Give me that!"'

Sonny pulled the papers out of Selena's hands and started going through the pages, searching for whatever major typo Selena was talking about.

"'All it says is 'Fine,' 'Fine,' 'Good,' 'Good,' 'Fine,' 'Fine,'"' she exclaimed.

"'It's not what the lines say; it's what's between the lines,"' Selena said.

Sonny laughed the best fake laugh she could muster.

"'There is nothing between those lines,"' she said. "'Trust me."'

Chad walked in as Sonny finished telling Selena's recorder she wasn't in denial, he asked Selena to go to her spot, told Sonny through the megaphone there were no extras on set, and then the scene started filming.

Selena took the scene a little bit too far; once her spoken lines were over, she pounced on Chad, pushing him to the floor with the power behind her kiss. Sonny had the megaphone in her hands and was shouting at them to stop within two seconds.

She'd never been more hurt than she was at that moment. Standing there, watching helplessly as Chad kissed another girl……Technically, he wasn't the one kissing her, she'd jumped him, but still. They were on the floor, kissing each other. Sonny finally understood why Chad had been so jealous when she'd gone on her date with James. It was horrible to watch the one you loved with someone else.

'What am I doing?' she thought, shaking her head as Selena finally climbed to her feet, leaving a surprised Chad on the floor. 'I'm not in love with Chad. I just got jealous because…Well, it must be because through it all, Chad and I have become friends. I just, uh, don't want to see him get hurt.'

As Chad met her eyes, shock still outlined on his face, she knew that wasn't the real reason she felt like rushing to him and kicking him as hard as she could. She wanted to hurt him. She wanted him to feel as much pain as she'd just felt. And then, after he apologized at least a million times, she wanted him to kiss her.

Instead of following through with her actions, Sonny shook her head, turned around, and went to find Selena. Maybe trying to figure out the reason behind the kiss would be a better solution than killing Chad Dylan Cooper.

Selena claimed she only kissed Chad because she was getting into character and thought Sonny would really have done it. When Sonny protested and said she would never kiss Chad anytime, anywhere, all Selena had to say about it was that maybe Chad was having the same issues as her. Sonny called her a relationship wizard and then left, still looking like she was ready to kill someone.

Chad walked up just in time to see Sonny storm off. Curious what was wrong with her, he took her place by Selena.

"'Wow, what's up with her?"' he asked, using a voice he hoped made it sound like he really didn't care.

"'Oh, I think she's upset because of how much you like her,"' Selena explained.

Chad sat down at his mirror, smiling at his reflection as he laughed at Selena's answer.

"'Right, right,"' he agreed. Then, as he fixed his hair, he paused. "'What? I don't like Sonny. Where'd you get that idea?"'

Selena was sick of hearing excuses. Instead of fighting with him as she'd just done with Sonny, she simply placed a hand on his shoulder.

"'You know, Chad, you and Sonny might be good at playing characters, but you're terrible at playing yourselves."'

It was that obvious? Selena could tell he liked Sonny after only being on set for a short period of time? If she could tell the truth, then he didn't doubt that his own cast and Sonny's had figured it out as well.

The only reason he wasn't letting Sonny play Sonny in his movie was because he didn't want people finding out. If they all knew anyway, there was no point in having Selena play the part.

Still, it was too late to just tell Selena he didn't need her. She was cast and there was nothing he could do about it.

He just hoped she didn't kiss him again. He couldn't bear to see the look on Sonny's face a second time.

Sonny seemed to be in a better mood the next time he saw her. Once again, she and Selena were together, only this time they were in the costume room having some sort of heated discussion. He didn't stay long enough to hear what they were talking about; it was really none of his business. He just wanted to let Selena know filming was starting again soon and make sure Sonny wasn't mad at him.

Well, that she wasn't mad about the kiss, anyway. Life would be too weird without Sonny mad at him at all.

If he'd taken the time to listen to their conversation, he would've saved a lot of trouble. At least he would've known what was going on instead of being caught totally off guard.

The next scene was filming. He and Selena were saying lines to each other he and Sonny had never really said but he wished they had. He also wished she was sitting off to the side like she had been during the first shot. It was nice to have her there while he said the words he wanted to tell her, but he could do it without her if he needed to. After all, it was-

"'Cut!"'

Chad was happy and surprised when Sonny cut across the set, a megaphone in her hand, a chair dragging along behind her. As she walked past him, she gave a sweet smile.

"'That's not how it happened,"' she said, referring to the lines he and Selena had just said.

Sonny set up her chair where it was out of the shot. Before she could sit down though, Chad walked over to her, his happiness hidden by fake anger.

"'What-What are you doing here?"' he asked, adding in hand motions. "'Get off my set. We're trying to make a movie here."'

"'Oh, it's ok,"' a voice explained, Sonny's lips not moving as she folded her arms over her chest and smiled sweetly again. "'I hired her."'

Chad turned around to face Selena, wondering if he was being tricked somehow.

"'For what?"' he asked, looking between the two girls.

"'Oh, I'm her Sonny consultant,"' Sonny replied before pushing past Chad and walking onto the set again. "'Selena, I think you're playing it wrong. Just remember, when he's staring into your eyes, he's actually staring at his reflection in your eyes."'

She'd turned Selena around so that she was the one facing Chad. As she spoke, she met his eyes and he glared back at her. He'd wanted her on the set so she could watch the movie and maybe become jealous again (although hopefully not as jealous as the first time). He didn't want her ruining the movie.

"'Oh, and you hate him,"' Sonny added on, her eyes back on Selena. She put her megaphone to her lips as she shouted, "'Ok, action!"'

That was the last straw. Chad called out a name and a man delivered him his megaphone.

"'Hey, I say action!"' he shouted into it.

"'Well, I say it better,"' Sonny replied before shouting again. "'Action!"'

"'Action!"'

"'Action!"'

"'Action!"'

"'Oh, would you just do the stupid scene?!"' Selena begged.

Chad gave back his megaphone as Sonny walked past him again, holding her head high in the air. He watched as she walked to her chair, looking away quickly when she sat down and stared right at him.

Knowing she was watching, Chad started the scene again. He could see Sonny rolling his eyes after he said one line, but he chose to ignore her. Selena got in her response before-

"'Ok,"' Sonny called into her megaphone, already on her feet and on the set again. "'Cut, cut, cut, cut, cut!"'

"'Again?"' Chad asked her. "'Really?!"'

"'It's ok, Chad, she's helping me out,"' Selena said, trying to calm down the blonde heartthrob.

Sonny smiled again and Chad turned away, really starting to get angry now.

"'Ok, Selena, remember, your biggest dream is to be on So Random!"' Sonny started explaining. Her eyes fell on Chad. "'Chad is just the monster that wakes you up."'

When Chad didn't say anything but Sonny could tell he was getting annoyed (which, in her eyes, he deserved every minute of), she picked up her megaphone again.

"'Oh and remember that you hate him. You just really, really hate him. Action!"'

She walked to her chair again and sat down. All Chad had time to say was her name before she was walking onto the set again.

"'Oh, and one more thing,"' she said into the megaphone as she approached. "'He's the worst actor of our generation!"'

Chad couldn't take it anymore. Sonny was stopping filming just to make fun of him, not to help Selena out. It was time to get back at her. He called again for his megaphone.

"'Cut, cut!"' he shouted into it. "'Stop the lying!"'

"'You stop the lying!"' Sonny shot back.

"'You stop the lying!"'

Sonny started to fight back, but she and Chad both turned their attention to Selena as she shouted over both of them.

"'Stop! Stop being, stop- Just stop it! Gosh I was wrong, you two should never be together!"'

"'Finally!"' Sonny turned to Chad as she went on. "'I've been trying to tell her that all day!"'

"'You've been trying to tell her that?"' he repeated in surprise. "'I've been trying to tell her that, too!"'

"'Well, I told her first,"' Sonny protested, always having to one-up Chad. "'She thinks she's some sort of relationship wizard."'

"'Yeah,"' Chad agreed. "'Look at her with her little wizard-y magic beams. Ok? Who does she think she is to tell us we can't like each other? Ok, if I want to like you-,"'

He put the megaphone to his lips again.

"'I will!"'

"'Yeah! And if I want to like you-,"' Sonny stopped long enough to raise her megaphone, "'I will!"'

"'If I want to think you have pretty hair, I will!"'

"'And if I want to think you have sparkly eyes, then I will!"'

Two megaphones turned to face Selena.

"'Yeah, so take that, Selena!"' Chad shouted into his.

"'In your face, Gomez!"' Sonny echoed him.

Thinking they had won, Chad and Sonny fist-bumped each other. Selena, on the other hand, rubbed the back of her neck.

"'Wow, yes,"' she said in fake surprise. "'You guys-you guys got me! There's nothing going on here at all."'

As she turned to walk off the set, she stole the megaphone from Sonny's hands.

"'You two are perfect for each other!"'

She left Chad and Sonny alone, saying she didn't need this because she was in Camp Hip Hop. She was quitting the movie.

"'So,"' Sonny asked nervously, avoiding Chad's eyes. "'You really think I have pretty hair?"'

It was the first thing Chad had noticed about her the day Sonny had first come to the So Random! set, when he and Portlyn had played spy. It was what he still noticed every time he saw her and when he looked at the magazine he still had hidden in his dressing room.

Still, he wasn't going to let Sonny know how much he was in love with her hair.

"'I don't know,"' he said, his voice small and very un-Chad Dylan Cooper like. "'Do you really think I have sparkly eyes?"'

Of course Sonny thought he had sparkly eyes. His eyes were the main reason she talked to him over and over again. It certainly wasn't his attitude that kept her coming back or made her crush grow a little bit more every day.

But she wasn't ready to let Chad know the truth.

"'I don't know,"' she mimicked his answer. "'Well, one of them is."'

Chad smiled at her and she returned it.

"'So,"' he said after a short pause. "'Do you want to be in my movie? I kind of need a Sonny."'

He knew he'd finally said something right. Sonny was still smiling as she shrugged her shoulders and said, "'Fine."'

"'Fine."'

"'Good."'

"'Good."'

"'Fine."'

"'Fine."'

It was the first time they'd ever said their infamous lines in a good way instead of actually yelling at each other. It was with a smile on his face that Chad turned to walk away.

"'I'll set you up an audition,"' he said, pointing at Sonny as he walked backward. "'Nine o'clock?"'

"'Really, Chad? Really?"' Sonny called after him, her happiness gone.

"'Fine,"' Chad said, the megaphone at his lips again. "'You got the part."'

He walked away. Sonny waited until his back was turned before doing a quick victory dance. She was going to be in Chad Dylan Cooper's movie!

***********

Sonny was a good actress. Chad would even go as far to say that Sonny was better than not only the rest of the So Random! crew, but also Selena. She said her lines with a voice that made him believe them, and he was the one person who knew they'd never been said.

Well, he would've been the only person who knew the truth if Sonny didn't go around telling everyone. He'd hear her during five minute breaks and lunch time, sometimes sitting with her friends, sometimes with the other actors, and a few times at his table with the cast of Mackenzie Falls. She'd always start off telling them the same story:

"This movie is a total fantasy," she'd say. "I've never said any of the things Chad seems to think I said. As a matter of fact, I'm only acting in the movie because Chad's directing it, which means it'll have a lot of viewers. I could use the publicity, you know?"

"We get it!" Tawni shouted one day as Sonny tried to launch into the story again. "You never said Chad was the greatest actor or that you're in love with him. Now will you let me eat in peace?!"

Chad was standing several feet away (it wasn't lunch time, it was one of the five minute breaks, and Tawni was trying to get in a quick snack as Sonny joined her) and he heard the blonde tell off Sonny. He was smiling when she turned to face him.

"Oh, shut up," she said, noticing his smirk right away. "If it weren't for you and your phony script, I wouldn't have to go around telling everyone the truth in the first place!"

As she tried to walk past him, he grabbed her upper arm, forcing her to stumble to a stop beside him.

"Watch it, Munroe," he warned, his voice low so no one could hear him, even though there wasn't a person nearby. "It's not too late for me to add in the truth."

"I would love for you to do that," Sonny told him, looking confused. "Why would it be a bad thing if you told the truth for the first time in your life?"

"I'm not talking about changing the script; I'm talking about adding more to it."

Sonny still looked confused, but when Chad leaned in closer to her, gently brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, she understood what he was talking about. He wasn't going to change what he already had written; he was going to add in all their secret moments.

Pulling her arm out of Chad's grasp, Sonny walked away from him, letting the hair he'd just fixed flop back into her face. She needed something to hide the blush she could feel creeping onto her cheeks.

Chad watched her go with a smile, thinking he wouldn't have to deal with her attitude anymore. Surely she would stop bothering people if she was afraid he'd add more to his script. The last thing either of them wanted was the world to know how they really acted around each other.

Sure enough, Sonny did have a better attitude. He no longer heard her story when he walked by her and no more random shouting occurred. Sonny seemed to be back to her old self, laughing and telling jokes like there was no tomorrow. She was back to being the Sonny everyone knew and didn't get annoyed with.

There was only one difference about Sonny now compared to the old one: the new Sonny ate lunch with the cast of Mackenzie Falls almost every day.

Sonny would start out lunch sitting with her own cast, but after a few minutes, Chad would walk up behind her.

"Why don't you join me at my table today?" he'd ask her, nodding in the direction of his cast. "I want to discuss one of the scenes with you."

If the So Random! cast was jealous of Sonny like the time Mackenzie Falls had tried to steal her away, they didn't act like it. They seemed fine with Sonny leaving them. After all, Chad did have an excuse every day. Maybe his excuses were believable enough that Sonny's friends thought nothing of it.

"Oh, alright," Sonny would reply, picking up her tray of food and getting to her feet. "I'll catch up with you guys later, alright?"

For the duration of filming time, Chad and Sonny's friendship did nothing but grow. They talked more, they joked around more, and it seemed like maybe the hate was finally out of their relationship.

But as Chad had told Sonny a long time ago, the bad blood between their two shows had run too deep for too long. Filming finished up, Sonny wasn't around the set anymore, and he didn't have a reason to steal her from her lunch table.

The friendship they grew while filming the movie was gone and replaced by the same one that had always been there. Chad caught Sonny staring at him more than once as he ate, and when he turned to meet her eyes, she always seemed so sad. Was she thinking the same thing he was? Was she wishing they could still have that friendship?

Things would've been different if Sonny had come to Hollywood to star on Mackenzie Falls instead of So Random! or if Chad had decided to do comedy instead of drama. If he and Sonny were on the same show, there was no doubt in either of their minds that they would've been best friends by this point, maybe even something more than that.

As it was, they were on two different shows and neither of them was willing to switch over. They were forced into the love/hate relationship against their will, but they were both willing to play along if that was their only choice. Anything was better than being hated by their casts.

With the movie over and done with, Chad and Sonny let their relationship fall apart again. It was for the best.


	14. Episode 14: Prank'd

Hello again! I know I just posted four chapters or something like that last night, but like I said, I would love to get this whole thing posted so I can start on a new story. Also, I am now editing each chapter before I post it so there are no longer boring recaps. Yes, there are still recaps, but I'm trying to do them the same way I did in earlier chapters, without using the entire dialog between everyone. If you want to hear the lines, go watch the episodes. On a lighter note, this chapter was one of my favorite to write. I hope you have as much fun reading it as I did writing it!!

Disclaimer: Sonny With a Chance still isn't mine

Episode #14:

Prank'd

**Chad Dylan Cooper Always Gets The Last Laugh**

Sonny knew the second Chad told her cast he was the host of a new TV show that she was going to become his victim. Sure, he didn't like any members of her cast, but she was the one he loved to pick on. It only made sense she was the one to be humiliated on national television.

When Chad set her up an audition to a movie she really wanted to be in, Tawni was the one to convince Sonny it had to be a prank. Instead of going in and trying her best, Sonny did the worse acting she could and covered the poor man in charge with maple syrup and feathers.

Chad laughed out loud when his friend filled him in about Sonny's audition. He knew it wasn't a funny situation, but at the same time, he could see the happy-go-lucky Sonny as she did it, that smile he loved pasted on her lips the whole time. She always seemed to be in a good mood; he could only imagine how happy she'd been thinking she was getting him before he could get her.

He made sure his smile was gone when he visited the prop house again. Sonny wasn't happy for once, and she apologized for her actions when Chad had 'just been doing something nice'.

Yes, he had been doing something nice for her. He'd been there as she explained how much she would love to be in that movie, and he took his acting seriously. If she wanted the part, there was no reason at all she shouldn't at least have the chance to try for it. She was a pretty good actress, after all.

Chad shook that thought out of his head as quickly as it had come. Sonny was an ok actress. She wasn't great, and she was defiantly nowhere near as good as he was. If she had tried during her audition and ended up with the lead, it would only be because he couldn't play the part himself.

He might've been Chad Dylan Cooper, the greatest actor of his generation, but he wasn't going to stoop low enough to play a female superhero.

Still, with Sonny looking so sad when Chad came to talk to her, he realized he couldn't keep pretending to be mad. He let her off the hook instead, warning everyone in the room that the punishment for her prank would be that the one he was coming up with would be a lot worse than he originally intended.

Sonny was relieved Chad didn't seem too mad at her. The rest of her cast, on the other hand, went crazy now that they thought the prank was going to be worse. When she couldn't take the insanity any longer, she called Chad and told him to prank her and get it over with so everything could go back to normal. He explained he already had a prank in motion, and when Sonny, Nico, and Grady rushed to help Tawni out, all four of them, plus Chad, got a surprise.

Zora was the one really in charge of the new prank show and Chad was her victim. Sonny watched and laughed with the rest of her cast as Chad was first glued to the floor, had elephant manure fill up his car, and then ended up with his hands and face being glued to the window.

No longer afraid of being tricked, the cast of So Random! left the room, laughing and joking around like they hadn't been able to do in a long time. Sonny followed them, letting her voice blend with theirs, but she couldn't keep herself from taking one last glance over her shoulder before leaving the room.

Chad's body was moving slightly and she could tell he was trying to tear himself free from the window. The rest of the people were filing out of the room behind the cast, so no one was staying to help set him free.

How long were they planning on keeping him there?

Not wanting her friends to think anything was up, Sonny continued after them. She'd check on Chad later when she could sneak away without getting caught. Surely someone would help him by that point.

By the time Sonny finally made it back to the room, she let her mouth fall open in shock. She was wrong; no one had ever come back to help Chad. He was still standing in the same spot as before, only now his body was still.

He'd been stuck for so long, even he was through trying to get free. Sonny couldn't stop her feet as they shuffled into the room against her will. It wasn't her job to set Chad free. She wasn't the one who'd stuck him to the floor and window and she didn't work for the show that was responsible. Why should she have to help?

'I have to help because I care too much for people I shouldn't care for at all,' she thought as her feet led her forward. 'And sometimes, caring can make you do things you shouldn't have to do.'

***********

He was almost asleep when he heard footsteps coming into the room.

"Finally," he said, his voice gruff. "I was wondering when you were going to come un-glue me. If you'd been five minutes later, I would've pressed charges."

"Keep talking to me like that and I'll leave you there all night long."

He knew that voice anywhere; Sonny had come back.

"Sonny?" His voice was muffled since the way his face was stuck to the window, his lips were stuck at a weird angle. "What are you doing here?"

He felt the hat being lifted off his head and could finally see Sonny's face as she sat it on the floor. When she walked back over to him, she gently started brushing his hair.

"I'm sorry for laughing at you when this happened earlier today," she said, her voice softer than usual. "It really wasn't nice of me to do that. But if you could see how you look right now….."

She laughed again. When Chad didn't join her, she stopped abruptly.

"I really need to use the bathroom," his muffled voice informed her. "I wasn't planning on being stuck to a window all day."

Sonny started to laugh again, but when Chad gave her the closet thing he could to a glare, she shut up quickly. She stepped closer to him, putting her hands on his shoulder.

"I'll help set you free, Chad," she told him, her voice only too sweet. He knew there was a catch coming. "But first, you have to say the magic word."

"Please?"

He should've known that wasn't the magic word she was talking about. She shook her head back and forth, the smile on her face growing.

"I'm not saying anything nice about So Random!" he told her.

"No one said you had to."

"If you don't want me to say please," Chad said slowly, "And you don't want me to say something nice about your show…Then what do you want from me?"

Instead of answering him right away, Sonny let go of his shoulder, moved to his other side, and put her body in the small space between Chad's arm and the window. She was standing very close to him; she was right against his chest, and the smile she gave him was breathtaking when it was so close.

"I want," she said, bringing her face too close to Chad's, "You to say something nice about _me_."

He couldn't think with her standing so close, her lips only inches away. He couldn't have kissed her even if he wanted to, not while his face was glued to the window, but that didn't stop his body from heating up.

She wasn't playing fairly.

"You have pretty hair," he somehow managed to choke out.

Sonny laughed coldly; Chad could feel her breath on his cheek as she let it out in one huge gush. She didn't smell anything like ham this time. No, she smelled like a mix between peppermint and vanilla-

Also known as the greatest scent in the world.

"Nice try, Chad Dylan Cooper," she said, "But you've said that one before. I want to hear something new."

There were a million things he could've said. He could've told Sonny how much he loved the perfume she was wearing. He could've said he wanted nothing more than to kiss her right then and there. He could've told her he thought she was a great actress (even though that one would be pushing it). Even saying something nice about her clothes would've been enough to get her to help him.

With Sonny standing so close to him though, with those huge eyes staring up at him and her lips slightly parted as she smiled, he couldn't think of anything to say. He was at a lost for words.

"Well, uh……."

Sonny started grooming his hair again on the side that wasn't sticking to the window. Her fingers were gentle and sent a chill down his spine.

"Should I get the hat?" she asked him, taking a step backward and bending down like she was going under his arm again. "Maybe I should leave you here just like I found you until someone else comes to rescue you."

It was his last chance. He couldn't let Sonny walk away without helping him. He was sick of being glued to the same spot after hours of being there.

"Wait!"

She stopped as she began to duck under his arm. Her eyes turned to his, waiting for him to go on. It was much easier to think without her face next to his.

"You did a great job acting in my movie," he told her. When she stayed where she was, he quickly added, "You were so much better than Selena would've been!"

"I don't think I like that one enough to let you go," Sonny replied, standing back to her full height. Once again, her face came too close to his. "You should've cast me in that movie without hiring her in the first place."

Chad was stuck. Part of him didn't want to tell Sonny what he thought about her and her acting skills. The other part of him wanted to get off the window and knew Sonny needed to do it. Who knew how long it would be before someone else would come along?

Before he could decide what to do, Sonny sighed loudly.

"Oh, alright," she said, acting like she was about to do Chad a favor. "I guess your last answer was worth one hand."

Gripping the arm she'd had to duck under with both of her hands, Sonny pulled on it as hard as she could.

"Ow!"

"Stop crying, you big baby. I'm sure it didn't hurt that bad."

She had no idea. Glue was a strong thing, and after being stuck to something for so long, having it suddenly ripped off felt as though Chad was leaving some of his skin behind. He couldn't believe he was going to have to go through that two more times, once for his other hand, the other for his face.

He hoped Sonny would save his face for last. He had a feeling that was going to hurt the worst.

"Ok," Sonny said, gripping Chad's other arm. "This one will be released as soon as you think of something else nice to say."

Even though she'd never admit it, Sonny was having the time of her life watching Chad try to think of nice things to say. His face scrunched up and she knew he was thinking something, but for some reason, he didn't say it out loud. He had nice things to say; he just wasn't using them.

As Chad was opening his mouth to say something else nice about Sonny, he thought of a new plan. Why should he say nice things to her? Now that he had one hand free, he could use it to pull his other off the window. He no longer needed her.

Realizing what his plan was as he started to move his free arm, Sonny grabbed it, shaking her head.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Why not?"

She pushed one finger into his palm. When she tried to pull it back, she had to tug on it before being able to bring her hand back to her side.

"That's why not," she explained, wiping her finger on her jeans. "Your hand is still sticky from the glue. If you put it on your arm so you can pull it free, all you're going to do is get your arms stuck together."

If Sonny was right and his hand was as sticky as she said it was, then he would just create more problems if he tried to set himself free. He was going to have to let Sonny do it for him.

Letting Sonny do it meant he had to think of more nice things. Wasn't being glued to a window all day bad enough without having to be nice too?

Sonny smiled up at him, knowing she had won. Both of her hands were on his still stuck arm, which was where they would remain until he thought of something else to tell her.

"You're the best player of Musical Chairs I know," he said after several silent seconds, wondering if that would be good enough.

Sonny smiled, probably thinking back to the two times they'd played Musical Chairs, opened her mouth to say something, then clamped it shut again, frowning.

"That's not what I was looking for," she said, "But it was nice. Are you ready for me to set your other hand free?"

She counted down the seconds this time, pulled on the count of three, and Chad shut his eyes and bit his tongue, somehow holding in the scream he felt like giving.

"One more nice thing," Sonny told him. "One more time, Chad, and all of this will be over."

He felt helpless, even though both of his hands were hanging at his sides. He was careful to make sure he didn't touch his pants; the last thing he needed was to get stuck to them as well. But his face was still stuck to the window and he had a feeling Sonny was going to want something really good in order to help him get it off.

The question was, how nice was she going to make him be?

"People only watch So Random! because of you," he tried.

"Sorry, but that's too close to the one that got your first hand free." Sonny shook her head and playfully started swinging his arm back and forth, making sure she only touched his sleeve and no skin. "Come on Chad, you can do better than that."

Of course he could do better than that. He was Chad Dylan Cooper. He could do anything he wanted to, including being nice to Sonny Munroe. How far did he want to go in his niceness though?

"Let's see," he said thoughtfully. "I still wish you'd join the Mackenzie Falls cast."

"Chad." Sonny dropped his arm and instead tapped his head lightly. "This needs to be something good enough for me to set your face free, remember? I'm looking for something really, really good."

"What do you want me say, Sonny? That you're better at acting than the one and only Chad Dylan Cooper?"

He could tell by the smile on her face that he'd finally hit the jackpot; that was exactly what Sonny wanted to hear.

"Say it like you mean it," she ordered, still smiling at him.

"You're pushing your luck after making me say it once," Chad replied.

Sonny thought about arguing with him, but it probably wasn't the best time. He'd been stuck to a window all day, his beautiful car was completely destroyed, and she had a feeling he was more than a little irritable.

Deciding to let him off easy, Sonny put her hands on Chad's chest. She was only putting them there so she could push as she tried to release his face, but her hands stopped where they were. For a moment, all she could do was feel, forgetting about the goal at hand.

It was Chad's chuckle that brought Sonny out of her trance.

"That could all be yours if you want it, Sonny," he said. "All you have to do is say the word."

"Oh, please." Sonny rolled her eyes as she shook her head. "First of all, I would never want any part of you, Chad. Secondly, we're walking down the friend path, remember? Thirdly, I hope you're ready to scream."

Without any more warning than that, Sonny pushed with all her might. Chad let out an ear-splitting scream and she dropped her hands quickly, knowing her job was done. She wasn't going to let her hands linger any longer than they needed to.

Now that the window didn't have an actor stuck to it, Sonny turned, ready to leave the room and get as far away from Chad Dylan Cooper as she could.

"Wait! Don't leave yet!"

She stopped in her tracks, turning back to face the heartthrob.

"My feet are still glued to the floor," he explained.

"Then take off your shoes."

"They're tied too tight for me to just step out of them."

"Why don't you untie them then?"

Chad held his hands in the air so Sonny could see them, giving her an 'isn't that obvious?' look. She remembered his hands were still sticky from the glue. If he tried to untie his shoes, he'd be stuck to them.

Sighing loudly, Sonny walked back to Chad, glaring at him before getting down to her knees. As she started untying, he started laughing.

"You know, I kind of like this," he said. "It feels almost like you're bowing down to me. You know, like everyone should be doing."

"You know, I kind of like this," Sonny said, getting back to her feet, leaving one shoe tied. "You, stuck to the floor, like everyone thinks you should be."

Chad's smile fell.

"Just untie my other shoe, Munroe," he ordered her, putting a hand too close to her arm, "Or I'll stick myself to you!"

Already picturing what the So Random! cast would say would Sonny walk in the next day with Chad Dylan Cooper stuck on her arm, Sonny gave him a disgusted look before getting back on her knees.

"Can I leave now, your highness?" she asked once Chad was standing in his socks, giving him a fake curtsy.

"You're not mad at me again, are you?" Chad asked her. "I don't need to send flowers to your room again, right?"

"How could I be mad at you? You admitted I'm a better actress than you. Sonny Munroe is officially number one; Chad Dylan Cooper is number two!"

Chad would've argued with her, saying he'd only told her that so she would help him get away from the window, but she smiled sweetly at him, hit his shoulder, turned her back and skipped out of the room.

How could he argue with someone who was so happy? It was impossible to not be happy when you had a name like Sonny.

Was it also impossible to not be drawn into her pep? Was it possible to not have a crush on a girl like Sonny Munroe?

'No,' Chad thought as he followed Sonny out of the room, leaving the door open behind him. 'Not having a crush on Sonny is impossible. Not even Chad Dylan Cooper can do the impossible.'


	15. Episode 15:Tales From The Prop House

This one took some editing, but I finally got rid of most of the recap. I like it a lot better without the recap. It gives me a chance to add in scenes I didn't add in before. Anyway, I would just like to say that this chapter was my FAVORITE one to write. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: Do I own Sonny With a Chance? Only when you look outside and see pigs flying.

Episode #15:

Tales From the Prop House

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Give In**

As the number one show at Condor Studios, Chad and his Mackenzie Falls cast had the rights to anything they wanted inside that studio as long as it made them happy. With more and more of the cast members deciding to take up meditation, the room was getting too full. Everyone kept complaining to Chad about how cramped they were and, in a last attempt for some extra room, they were forced to take out the gong.

"Don't worry," he tried to calm everyone down when they started protesting. "I will find us a bigger meditation room, alright?!"

He walked around the studios, trying to find the perfect room to claim for him and his cast. It didn't matter if the room already belonged to someone or was empty. His cast could take over whatever room they wanted to, as long as they were able to be happy again.

There were a lot of rooms to choose from. Chad was taking his time as he searched, enjoying the stares he got when he walked into a room, pretended to survey it, then shook his head and left without saying a word.

He was sure no one had any idea what he was doing and he wasn't going to stop and explain it to anyone, either. If they were worthy enough to know what Chad Dylan Cooper was up to, they would've known without having to be told.

As Chad continued his quest, he found himself all the way over to the So Random! set. Not wanting a confrontation with Sonny during his Chad time, he turned to leave quickly.

"Would Sonny, Tawni, Nico, Grady, and Zora please report to the stage," a voice called over the loud-speaker. "I repeat, would Sonny, Tawni, Nico, Grady, and Zora please report to the stage. Rehearsal for So Random! starts in five minutes."

Chad turned back around, facing the set again. Maybe he didn't have to leave yet. There was no chance of running into Sonny if she and the rest of her cast were on stage. He had the whole set to himself. It was his chance to walk around and look in all the rooms without having to worry about-

"Sonny!"

The brunette jumped about a foot in the air when she heard Chad shout her name. She turned to face him, both of her hands flying to her heart.

"It's only you, Chad," she sighed in relief, putting her arms back at her sides as she laughed nervously. "You had me scared for a second you were- Wait. What are you doing here? This isn't your set."

"What are you doing here?" he shot back. "Aren't you supposed to be on stage?"

Sonny rolled her eyes before saying, "I'm on my way to the stage now, that was only my five minute warning. I don't have time to stand here and talk to you."

In a very gentleman-y manner, Chad took a step back and motioned with his hands for Sonny to go ahead and walk around him. She folded her arms over her chest and stayed where she was instead, glaring at him.

"I have no idea why you're here, but just so you know, all the doors around this area are locked," she informed him like he was known for stealing things whenever he had the chance. "You might as well march right back over to your set before I-,"

The loudspeaker cut her off, calling only her to the stage this time.

"Temper, Munroe," Chad said, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Why do you care so much if I'm on your set or not? Usually you don't seem to mind."

"Usually I'm not stuck on stage and I can watch and make sure you're not causing trouble," Sonny replied, pushing away his hand roughly. "I mean it, Cooper. Don't. Touch. Anything!"

With that, she headed off in the opposite direction, making sure she bumped into Chad as she left.

He stood there for a few moments, wondering what was wrong with Sonny. She certainly wasn't acting like her normal bubbly self. If all the rooms were locked anyway, what did it matter if he was on the set or not? Was she really only mad because he'd come all the way over and she wasn't able to talk to him? Maybe she simply was having a fight with her cast mates, or it was possible she wasn't looking forward to whatever sketch it was time to rehearse for.

Deciding it was probably best to take Sonny's advice and leave, Chad once again started to head toward the set's exit. He stopped as he walked by the room Sonny had been coming out of.

There was one door left open while the cast was on the stage: the door to their prop house.

Chad took a few steps into the room. He'd been in here before, but he'd never noticed how much space there really was. Even with all the annoying little props, Sonny and her cast could sit in there for hours without becoming cramped. The Mackenzie Falls cast was bigger, but if all the props were taken out and perhaps a little work was done to make the room a tad bit bigger…..

After Sonny's rude behavior toward him in the hallway just now, Chad needed someway to get back at her. Surely taking over her prop house would be enough to get her at least somewhat angry.

'I hope you've gotten all the fun out of your systems, Randoms,' Chad thought as he finally headed to his set, ready to tell his cast the good news. 'Your prop house is about to be turned into a no laughing zone!'

Sure enough, Sonny was a little bit more than 'somewhat' angry. As soon as she found out about the prop house getting taken over and that it was Mackenzie Falls moving in, she knew she had to fight back. Chad watched as she bonded her cast together (he had a feeling they would've let it go without a fight if it weren't for her), actually impressed by her leadership.

Still, as impressed as he was when she led the other Randoms in chaining their bodies together, he knew it wouldn't be long before the group would give up. He was right; he was called a few hours after Sonny and her friends stated they wouldn't be moving anytime soon, saying he could start organizing the room again. He and his cast set to work, and before long, the prop house was being used as a mediation room.

It really shouldn't have surprised him when Sonny came into the room, using the excuse she was looking for a prop. Once again, she led her cast in a war and they cut a hole through the ceiling of the room, throwing things down until Chad was the last of his cast left.

He told Sonny he wasn't giving the room up without a fight. It was obvious by the smile on her face she thought he was wrong. If she thought she was going to win just because-

Ok, he wasn't leaving because of Sonny or her stupid friends or her even dumber plan. He was leaving because a rat had just run up his leg. He was the greatest actor of his generation; he could find a mediation room where no vermin would be found. He no longer needed the prop house.

But he did need Sonny's friendship.

Even though he wasn't really sorry for trying to take over the prop house (Sonny had asked for it after treating him rude for no reason at all), Chad took presents over to the So Random! cast. Sonny wasn't the only person not talking to him, and although she was the one he cared the most about, he did miss making fun of all five of them.

Thankfully, his presents worked. Tawni and Zora forgave him right away and Sonny was actually smiling as she read the note he'd written on the autographed picture he'd given her.

Everything was back to normal. Sonny was happy again, she had her prop house, Chad was still looking for another room for Mackenzie Falls to use, and Nico and Grady were driving a bulldozer around as Chad's present to them.

When the girls asked what Chad had gotten Nico and Grady, he didn't get a chance to reply before the two boys drove through the wall of the room. It was the second time a hole had been created using the same bulldozer, and when Sonny and Tawni turned to glare at Chad, he smiled back and shrugged nervously.

How come every time he tried to be nice, it ended badly? ***********

After paying to have the wall fixed once, Marshall refused to pay again, saying the kids had to learn that there were consequences for their actions. He said it was up to everyone to work together and fix it.

As she always did, Zora disappeared shortly after being given the task. Tawni kept saying she shouldn't have to help since she wasn't the one who destroyed the wall and left without lifting a finger to help. Nico and Grady tried, but they weren't good with hammers or nails and didn't have the patience to learn.

Thankfully, a few of the actors on some of the other shows knew about repair work and they were more than willing to give Sonny a hand. She didn't see why she had to fix someone else's mistake, but the prop house wasn't much use when there was a huge hole in the side. She worked without complaining.

Finally, the wall was fixed. The only thing left to do was repaint it so it matched the rest of the room. Sonny's helpers left and she knew her own cast wasn't going to help her. She set to work on her own, a pair of overalls on, her hair hanging loose around her face, and a hat on her head.

So what if she looked like a total dork? It was late and most of the people working at the studio had already gone home for the night. The only reason she was still there was because she wanted to finally get the wall finished and she didn't want to wait until the morning. No one was going to see her in her old, torn-up outfit.

Just as she was dipping her paintbrush into the can of paint, a voice spoke from behind her.

"Would you like some help with that?"

She knew who the voice belonged to without turning around. She didn't even stop to think about what he was doing there so late. Instead, she kept her back to him as she answered.

"Actually, all the hard work is already done," she said curtly. "Thanks for offering your help now that it's almost done, but I think I can handle it from here."

"Whoa, calm down, Sonny. I wasn't the one who wrecked the wall this time, remember? It's Nico and Grady you should be mad at, not me."

Sonny dropped the paintbrush back into the can, turned around so her back was against the wall, and slid down it until she was sitting on the floor.

"I'm sorry, Chad," she apologized, her voice sounding like she was about to burst into tears. "I'm not mad at you, I'm really not. It's just that I've been working so much lately and I haven't been getting enough sleep because I stay late every night working on this stupid wall and-and-,"

Her voice trailed off. Her knees were drawn to her chest and as she looked at Chad, she shook her head before burying it in her knees. He could hear her sobs all the way across the room.

He had no idea what to do next. He was Chad Dylan Cooper, the greatest actor of his generation, and if he'd had a script with lines written on it, he would've known exactly what to say to Sonny. Unfortunately, Mackenzie Falls, as full of drama as it was, had never done an episode where he'd had to console someone.

Like all great actors, he'd seen many movies, a few of which included scenes with crying people. It seemed like the person crying always felt better when they had someone to sit with them.

Deciding that was his best option for the moment, Chad joined Sonny against the wall. He watched her for a moment; her shoulders were shaking slightly as she leaned forward and her sobs were muffled since her head was down. Her hair, the first thing he always noticed about her, hung like drapes around her. He liked it better when it was as bouncy as she was.

Slowly, nervously, he put an arm in the space between the wall and Sonny's body, resting his hand on her opposite shoulder. Was he comforting her right? Was she going to end up being madder at him than she would be if he just left?

Moments after his arm was around her, Sonny's head shot up. Instead of resting on her knees, she brought it closer to Chad, letting it land on his chest. Although he was surprised by that, he didn't push her away; he patted her shoulder gently, rubbing soothing circles on it, gently brushing her hair as he'd longed to do for so long.

He didn't even mind her tears soaking through his clothes. He was willing to have his designer shirt ruined if it meant Sonny could be happy again.

Neither teen knew how much time had gone by, but it seemed to be a long time before Chad noticed the sobs had stopped. He looked down at the girl he was cradling, wondering if she was even still awake. Her eyes were open but she wasn't looking at him. She seemed to be staring off into space, maybe even thinking about something.

He continued to rub her shoulder. He would wait for her to talk first, wait for her to move instead of pushing her away from him. She was finally in his arms, the place he'd always wanted her to be. Even if it was for the wrong reasons, he wished the moment would never end.

"I'm sorry," he heard her say, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm just so, so tired…"

"What time are your parents coming to pick you up, Sonny?" he asked in the same soft tone she had used. The hand that wasn't around her shoulders reached for the cheek that wasn't pressed against him, gently brushing away her tears.

Sonny laughed; it wasn't her normal laugh, but rather one of those crazy ones people gave when they were extremely sleep deprived and starting to become delirious.

"They're not coming until tomorrow night," she said through her laughter. "I asked if I could spend the night here and finish the painting."

It was a stupid idea on her part to ask permission to spend the night, but it was even worse for her parents to agree to it. Then again, if Chad knew Sonny at all, she had her parents tricked. They probably thought she was doing fine because she pretended she was around them. She made sure to keep her tone sweet and act like the usual Sonny.

After all, she was a pretty good actress.

Still, it was obvious that as much as Sonny wanted to work, she was in no condition to do anything. He thought about taking her cell phone, finding her house number, and calling her parents to pick her up, but he didn't want to get her in trouble. No, he could take care of her for one night.

As Chad stared to pick Sonny up, she slapped away his hands, her eyes flying wider open than they had been all night.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

"You need your sleep," he tried to tell her, nodding toward the couch on the other side of the room. "Why don't you lay down for awhile while I take care of the painting?"

He was more than a little surprised when Sonny pulled out of his grasp, getting onto her feet quickly. Her eyes were red from her crying fit, but all signs of sleep were gone. She looked like the old Sonny.

"I've gotten the wall this far," she said, picking the paintbrush back up. "I'm not giving up on it now and letting you take all the credit for it!"

"Sonny, I don't want any of the credit for it!" Chad protested, getting back on his feet as well. "I'll even say you're the one who did all the painting if that's what you want-,"

"That's what you'll have to say because it'll be the truth!"

Without another word, she got back onto her knees and started painting the bottom of the wall, her paintbrush moving in furious strokes.

She was too stubborn for her own good.

When Chad left the room, Sonny kept working, determined to show not only herself but also Chad that she had what it took to get the job done. He returned a few minutes later, and when she kept painting, trying to ignore him, he made it difficult by dipping a paintbrush into the can at the same time she did.

"You might as well not bother fighting me," he said as she opened her mouth. "No matter what you say, I'm still going to paint. The sooner we get done, the sooner we can both get some sleep."

He wasn't tired, but he knew if he made it sound like he was helping her for her own sake, she would fight him regardless. His plan worked; with her thinking she was forcing him to stay awake too, she set to work again, not pushing away his brush.

She wasn't the one keeping him awake. He could've left and let her paint alone. He had a feeling she would fall asleep eventually anyway and have to finish sometime the next day. But at least if he was there watching her, he could make sure she didn't fall asleep with her head landing in the paint can.

Sonny didn't show any signs of falling asleep. Still, when it was time to paint the top of the wall, Chad refused to let her up on the ladder. The last thing he needed was to rush her to the hospital at who knew what time in the early morning. She glared at him but didn't protest, doing the bottom in a double layer.

"You could just go sleep on the couch, you know," Chad told her as she went over an already done part of the wall. "There isn't much more to do here and I think I can-,"

His voice trailed off as he watched a huge glob of paint drip from the end of his brush. There was nothing he could do to stop it; all he could do was watch as it fell down, down, down…..

And landed with a loud _plop_ on the top of Sonny's hat.

She pulled the hat off quickly, revealing the messiest hair Chad had ever seen her with. Taking one look at the top of her hat, now a nice brownish/tan color, she looked up at him, giving him the death glare.

"That…Was…My…Favorite…Hat."

Chad wasn't sure what it was. He wasn't used to staying up late at night, so maybe he was finally starting to get tired. Maybe Sonny was so tired and acting so different from her usual self that he found it funny.

Whatever the reason was, he couldn't stop laughing.

It didn't take him long to figure out laughing was the wrong thing to do. Sonny picked up her brush and wiped it across his pants, making sure to keep brushing until all the paint was off it.

"Hey!" He climbed off the ladder as fast as he could, trying to see the back of his pants where Sonny had done her job. "I'm not wearing rags like you! I wasn't planning on painting tonight!"

"Rags?" Sonny repeated him. "Well, excuse me for not buying designer clothes like you do. Some people actually like to spend their money on important things instead of wasting it on something as stupid as that!"

No one made fun of Chad Dylan Cooper's clothes.

Forgetting about the brush, Chad stuck his hand into the can of paint, making sure his fingertips were covered with it. He took a step toward Sonny; she backed away quickly. Just as she turned around to run, he wrapped the arm without a painted hand around her waist, pulling her against his chest. As she struggled to get free, he brushed his fingers against her cheek.

"How does it feel to be marked?" he whispered in her ear.

"Why don't you tell me?"

He let go of her and she ran toward the paint can. He knew she was going to do something to get back at him, and he prepared to have paint cover either more of his clothes or his skin. He wasn't ready for her to dump the whole can over his head.

That's right; Sonny climbed on the first step of the ladder, pulled Chad closer to her with one hand, and used the other to pour the entire can of paint over him. Some of it splattered to the floor around his feet, but most of it stayed on his face, covering his hair, skin, and the top of his shirt.

Sonny smiled, rubbing her hands together like she was trying to congratulate herself for a job well done. Chad stood there, breathing heavily, trying to control his anger. Clothes could be replaced; his remarkable good looks couldn't. It was going to take a lot of tries before he'd be able to get all the paint off his body.

"Whoa!" Sonny cried as Chad picked her up, forcing her off the ladder. He kept one arm around the small of her back, the other behind her knees, his still painted fingers surely leaving marks on her clothes. "Where are you taking me?!"

He didn't carry her anywhere special. He'd just wanted her off the ladder and as close to him as he could get her. With her still in his arms, he started shaking his head back and forth like a wet dog getting out of a pond. Paint started flying everywhere and Sonny closed her eyes, turning away her face, throwing up her hands in defense.

Once he stopped shaking, Chad didn't set Sonny down right away. He wanted to see how much damage he'd done to her first. While he was admiring his work, she reached up to his face, rubbed off some of the paint, and started smearing it over any part of him that wasn't already covered.

Trying to set her down, Sonny wrapped an arm around his neck, getting more paint in his already wet hair. She wasn't letting him put her down. With her arm still around him, she was raised in the air and he couldn't push her away without making her fall to the ground. He had no choice but to stand there and let her finish her collage.

"There," she proclaimed, finally letting go of him and stepping back to study him. "I think that about does it."

"Do I look pretty now?" he asked, doing his best to sound like a girl.

Sonny laughed too loudly for such a small joke, clutching at her sides with both hands, getting more paint over her body. She pointed at him, opened her mouth to say something, and ended up laughing instead. When he tried to ask what was wrong, he couldn't help but laugh, too.

The wall was done, at least good enough that if someone looked at it they wouldn't be able to tell it'd been knocked down two times. Looking at Sonny, he noticed she was almost as brown as the wall was, and he could only imagine what he looked like.

There was paint on the floor and other places it shouldn't have been, places Chad could've cleaned up before the paint had a chance to dry, but instead, he took Sonny's hand in his. This time, she let him lead her to the couch, laughing the entire way.

"Will you please go to sleep now, Munroe?" he asked her, trying to get her to sit down. She shook her head back and forth.

"I can't, not on the couch," she protested. "I'll get paint all over it."

"Where else are you going to sleep? The couch is the only soft thing in here."

As her eyes met his, he knew exactly what she was thinking.

He sat down on the floor, leaning his back against the already dry wall (had their paint fight really lasted that long?) and used their still linked hands to pull Sonny down beside him. Just as she'd done earlier that evening, Sonny laid her head on Chad's chest, moving around until she was comfortable. Slowly, her eyes closed.

"You smell like paint," she muttered, not bothering to open her eyes.

"That makes two of us."

Sonny smiled and it wasn't long after that her breathing became slower and more relaxed. She really must've been out of it to be able to fall asleep so fast.

As Chad held Sonny in his arms for the second time that night, he couldn't help but think about how lucky he was to be in this spot. He and Sonny had their ups and downs since she'd come to Condor Studios, but altogether, he was happy to have her there.

Gently, he leaned down to kiss the top of her crusty hair.

"Goodnight, Sonny," he whispered, just in case she could somehow hear him, even though she seemed to be in a deep slumber. "I love you."

A soft hum tried to come out of her lips, and Chad smiled as he came up with his own translation for it: "Chad, I love you, too."


	16. Episode 16: Sonny With Dinner

Hello again!! Once again, lots of editing later, I was able to add in a whole lot that wasn't in this chapter before. Oh yeah, for the last episode that Disney has showed so far, the one where Chad comes to guest star on So Random!.........Right now, most of that one is recap, so by the time I edit it, it'll be done to mainly nothing. So if anyone has any ideas for what should happen in that one, please, please, please let me know! Thanks for all the reviews so far and for reading 15 chapters. You guys are the best!!

Disclaimer: Do you see any flying pigs yet? Hmm, I guess I still don't own Sonny With a Chance

Episode #16:

Sonny in the Kitchen with Dinner

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Give Away Anything For Free**

The soft murmur of voices was what woke Chad up the next morning. He heard voices that sounded like Tawni, Nico, and Grady, and that was what made his eyes fly open. Where was he? Why could he hear the three of them instead of his own cast?

When he tried to sit up straight, Chad realized something was holding him down. In surprise, he saw it was Sonny, her head resting on his chest, her eyes still closed tightly and dried brown paint on her clothing and skin.

The memories of the night before came flooding back to Chad. He remembered stopping by the prop house and finding Sonny still there. He remembered trying to comfort her through a crying fit, and then helping her paint in hopes she would take a break and get some sleep. Looking over at the empty can of paint, he remembered the paint fight the two of them had had before he became her pillow for the remainder of the night.

More than anything else, he remembered whispering I love you.

He wanted to sit there and let Sonny sleep until her eyes finally opened, whether it happened in the next five minutes or sometime within the next year. He wanted to cradle her in his arms and be the first thing she saw upon waking up. He wanted to know if she'd been too far gone to hear his last words to her.

There wasn't enough time to do any of that. The voices sounded like they were getting closer. Chad knew it wouldn't be good if Sonny's cast walked in and found the two of them sleeping together. Even if they did think the two of them secretly liked each other, he had a feeling they didn't want to think of their suspicions as being true.

He had to get out before he could be seen.

"Sonny," he said softly, gently shaking her shoulder. "Sonny, wake up!"

She moaned loudly, lazily raising a hand and trying to push away Chad's. Rolling his eyes, he shook her harder until her eyes finally fluttered open. She sat up straight quickly, her eyes widening as she stared at him, then at the wall, and finally to the paint can. Chad could almost see the memories come floating back to her.

"I fell asleep," she stated the obvious.

"We both did, actually," Chad explained. "I was planning on being gone by now, but obviously, that plan didn't work very well. Your cast is right outside and we can't let them see me!"

That was all it took to get Sonny moving. She jumped onto her feet and ran across the room until she reached the door, sticking her painted head out enough to scan the hallway. She sighed in what sounded like relief.

"Luckily, no one ever comes in here first thing in the morning," she told Chad, walking back to him slowly. "Tawni usually spends an hour or so in our dressing room, preparing for the day Tawni-style, Zora does who knows what, and Nico and Grady sneak to the lunch room to see if they can get a free breakfast. We have plenty of time before they come here."

She offered a hand to help Chad to his feet, but he ignored it, climbing up by himself as he asked, "What about you? Won't they come looking for you?"

"No one expects to see me for awhile yet. I sleep in the longest."

It was too early in the morning for Chad to think of conversation topics. He wasn't used to staying up until all hours of the night, so he was missing quite a few hours of sleep. It was going to take him awhile to really wake up.

Sonny, on the other hand, seemed to be back to her usual self. She giggled as she looked at Chad, thinking back to the paint fight the night before, and then took a strand of her hair, flaking off some of the dry paint. Instead of seeming mad about it, she started laughing even harder.

"We need showers," she informed Chad, reaching up to scratch some of the paint off his face.

"What about cleaning up in here?" Chad asked, motioning around the room.

Paint littered the floor where it shouldn't have been, some places in huge puddles, others just small patches. Sonny shrugged her shoulders.

"Hey, my cast left me in charge of the painting," she said. "They can take care of the clean-up."

That sounded like a good enough plan to Chad. He and Sonny headed toward the door, both of them glancing up and down the hallway, making sure no one was coming. When the coast was clear, the two of them sprinted toward the nearest exit.

The sun wasn't completely up yet and the parking lot was still halfway in shadows. It was a little bit chilly in the morning air and Sonny felt her shoulders start shivering. When Chad turned to look at her, she smiled at him, pretending nothing was wrong.

"I think I'm going to head home and get cleaned up before coming back to film," he told her, one hand nervously going into his pocket. "Do you need a ride home or anything?"

Even covered in paint and dressed in old clothes with unbrushed hair, Sonny was still just as beautiful as she had been the first time Chad had met her. Actually, with the way the sun only lit up about half of her, she looked more amazing then any human had the right to look.

'It's just Sonny,' Chad told himself, shaking his head back and forth quickly. 'Snap out of it, Chad. You're only thinking like this because you're not use to being awake so early in the morning. You are NOT falling for Sonny Munroe!'

He was thankful when Sonny declined his offer, saying she was just going to call her mom to pick her up and probably call in sick. She was still tired and needed a day to rest. Chad nodded his agreement and turned around to leave. He only got several steps away before turning to face her again.

"Uh, Sonny?" He refused to let his eyes meet hers. "You don't, uh, remember anything…..weird…..I said last night before you fell asleep, do you?"

Sonny felt confused by Chad's question.

"Chad, I was so tired last night, I barely remember anything you said," she replied. "Why, is there something I should remember?"

"Nope, nothing at all," Chad said, his voice much too fast. "Well, since you're not coming back today, I'll have to catch you later, Munroe!"

He walked away after that, practically running, leaving a very puzzled Sonny staring after him. Had she missed something or was the blonde heartthrob finally going crazy?

***********

Since Sonny didn't remember what Chad had said to her, he could blame it on being super tired. People always said things they didn't mean when they were tired, right? Just because he'd said he loved Sonny and then had kissed the top of her head didn't mean he was really in love with her.

Just because the words had felt so right as they rolled off his tongue and the kiss had felt almost natural-

No, Chad couldn't let his thoughts keep dwelling on that night. If Sonny didn't remember, which she claimed she didn't, then he might as well forget about it, too. It was stupid to live in the past, especially if the past was untrue anyway.

Chad was still trying to forget when Sonny came to visit him a few days later. There was no paint left on her, but the smile she always wore was gone, as well. Why wasn't she acting happy? She wasn't going to break down and cry again, was she?

Sonny wasn't smiling because she wanted something from Chad: his tickets to the Lakers game. It was his turn to smile as he waved the three tickets in front of her face. She wasn't going to get them just by saying 'please'.

Deciding to use her own game against her, Chad wanted Sonny to say something nice about him before handing over the tickets one by one. It was the same thing she did to him before freeing him from the window, and he thought it was a pretty good idea to shoot it back in her face now.

Sonny said what Chad wanted to hear. She was smart; she knew he was using her own game against her. She wouldn't have played along, but she had promised Tawni help with a guy and the basketball game was the best plan she'd come up with thus far.

The same way Sonny had made Chad call her a better actress than he was, he made her say he was the greatest actor of their generation. It wasn't true; if it was, then Chad had been lying when he told Sonny she was the better out of the two of them. Still, Sonny was willing to lie if it meant keeping Tawni happy.

With the lies finally out, Chad handed over the tickets and Sonny left, the smile back on her face. Chad waved to her retreating back, feeling good his one good deed for the day was done. Helping people always left him with a good feeling.

He was sitting down at his kitchen table the next morning when he started going through the morning mail. Like always, the newest copy of Tween Weekly was there, and that was what he picked up, hoping to see either a front page story about himself or a three to five page article inside.

The orange juice he had been getting ready to swallow upon picking up the magazine came shooting out of his mouth when he saw the picture on the cover.

There was his Sonny, right there on the cover, locking lips with some other guy!!!

'It was the kiss cam!' was the excuse Sonny gave him when he went to confront her about the picture.

Chad Dylan Cooper knew all about the Kiss Cam. He'd been to enough basketball games over the years to know that if Sonny was telling the truth, it would've been nearly impossible for her to get out of the kiss. Those fans were harsh when it came to that stupid camera.

Still, he threw the magazine away the first chance he got. Who cared if it had an article about him on page three? He couldn't stand looking at Sonny all day long as her lips met with someone who wasn't him.

It wasn't fair. Chad had been trying to win Sonny over since she'd first arrived in Hollywood. He argued with her, flirted with her, and almost kissed her on more than one occasion. Why was this stranger the one who got to really kiss her? Why had she settled for ordinary when she could've had extraordinary?

Chad had to get back on Sonny's good side. He didn't ever want her running to another man's arms (or lips) again. From now on, he was going to be the greatest Chad Dylan Cooper he could be.

Well, as great as he could be without telling everyone how he really felt about Sonny. He didn't like her; he just simply wanted her to have the best she could have in life.

Everyone knows the best is Chad. It doesn't get any better than him.

To show Sonny he could be nice and caring, Chad rushed over to her apartment when his cell phone started ringing (how he'd spent hours finding the perfect picture for her picture ID, no one would ever know) and all he could hear was screaming. Yes, something strange was going on at her house-

But before he could find out what it was, his stomach grew sick and he had to leave. He'd have to wait until a later time to find out from Sonny what was really going on.

***********

The next day, Chad's stomach ache was a little bit better and his curiosity was at a high. He wanted to know what had gone on at Sonny's place last night and why he'd gotten a phone call where no one talked to him. He headed over to the So Random! set, not wanting to wait for lunch.

He hadn't visited the set in awhile, but he remembered from past visits that there always seemed to be something interesting going on. It would've been easy for them to make a whole other show just about their lives off the screen judging by the conversations usually taking place.

Today wasn't an exception. He could hear their shouts echoing down the hall as he made his way to the prop house. Something bad was going on in Chuckle City.

Chad stood against the wall beside their doorway, trying to stay out of sight. It didn't sound like a good time to just walk in and start pestering Sonny. Actually, her voice seemed to be one of the loudest in the room. He listened in, trying to figure out what was going on.

"I can't believe you guys are mad about that!" she shouted, the first coherent thing Chad could hear. "Why do you guys even care?!"

"We care because it's not good for you, Sonny," a voice that sounded like Nico said. "We're just trying to look out for you."

"You're trying to look out for me by telling me who I can and can't be friends with? Shouldn't that be up to me to decide?"

"It could be your decision if you decided right," Grady told her. "And of course by right, I mean you stay friends with the four of us and no one else."

"I can have other friends and still hang out with all of you-,"

"That's not the point, Sonny," Tawni's voice cut in. "We don't care if you have other friends. Actually, I think it would be a great idea for you to leave and hang out with other friends more often. We just don't want you becoming friends with the enemy."

'The enemy?' Chad thought, feeling his fingers start to curl into a fist. 'Sonny, who are you making friends with now that you shouldn't be?'

"Just because you guys hate him doesn't mean I have to. You don't know him as well as I do, and trust me, he's really-,"

"That's exactly our point," Nico spoke up again. "You know him a little bit too well. We all talk to him, but none of us have that whole love/hate thing going on with him like you do. It's just sick what you're doing, leading him on like that!"

Love/hate thing? Chad's fist unfurled as he listened in even closer. Were they actually lecturing Sonny about him?

"I'm not leading him on!" Sonny's voice sounded desperate. "Look, you guys, I don't like Chad as anything more than a friend. If you're not mature enough to understand that, then maybe I should go talk to someone who is."

The whole room started yelling again, but Sonny walked out of it, her head held high in the air. Then her eyes landed on Chad.

Glancing over her shoulder to make sure none of her cast mates were following her, Sonny put a finger to her lips, grabbed Chad's arm, and dragged him along in the hallway behind her as she ran toward her dressing room. She didn't let go of him until they were both inside and she needed her hands to shut and lock the door.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded. "Shouldn't you be annoying your own cast instead of mine?"

"Actually, I came to annoy you, not your cast," he replied, smirking as Sonny started pacing the room. "That fight you were just in was over me, wasn't it?"

"The world doesn't revolve around you, Chad."

He continued to smile, waiting for Sonny to look at him again and confirm that this time, the world was revolving around him. She made a few rounds of pacing before turning her attention to him.

"Yes, the fight was about you, Chad. After you showed up at my place last night, Nico and Grady jumped to the conclusion that you and I are getting too friendly. They think we should stop talking to each other."

She was making him dizzy as she walked the same line, taking exactly five short steps before turning around and doing it again. Chad reached for her shoulders, pulling her to a stop in front of him.

"Does the rest of your cast feel the same way?" he asked.

Sonny glanced down at his hands, a small smile crossing her lips, before trying to hide it and answering his question.

"Tawni doesn't think I should let a stupid rivalry come between us if I really like you," she explained, talking too high and too fast. "Zora feels…Well, I don't really know, she wasn't there during the fight."

It was two against one. The boys wanted Sonny to stay away from Chad, Tawni wanted her to make whatever choice she thought was right. It didn't matter what her cast thought though. What mattered was what Sonny thought.

Moving one of his hands, Chad gently brushed a strand of hair out of Sonny's face. He leaned his face in closer as he spoke again.

"How do you feel about us, Sonny?"

She seemed to be frozen to her spot. With Chad's face so close to hers, one hand still on her arm and the other clutching the side of her face, how was she supposed to be able to think?

It took her a few moments, but finally Sonny had what she hoped was enough oxygen to choke out an answer.

"I feel that you should leave before my cast comes looking for me and I get in even more trouble."

Chad smiled as he stepped away from her, his hands falling back to his sides. It wasn't a yes, but it wasn't a no either. She was just as crazy about him and he was about her, and just as confused about it as he was. That answer was better than nothing.

As Chad made his way to the door, he stopped, his hand on the doorknob. Slowly, he turned around to face Sonny again.

"I just have one little question," he asked, going on without giving her a chance to reply. "Was that your first kiss?"

Sonny knew he was talking about the basketball game. She could feel her face turning bright red and she turned to the floor, letting her hair encase her, hoping it would hide the blush from Chad.

"Yes and no," she said, her voice soft.

Chad leaned his back against the door. He wasn't leaving until she explained this one.

"It was my first kiss, but I'm not counting it as that," she went on, still avoiding his eyes. "I want my first kiss be special and romantic, not a moment I share with the whole world and only do because a crowd of people is shouting at me to do it. So, yes, it was my first kiss, but not in my eyes."

It really hadn't been too late. If Chad had kissed Sonny one of the many, many times he'd wanted to, he would've been the first person to ever feel her lips. He would be her first kiss, the owner of the one thing all girls seemed to keep with them forever.

But he'd moved too slowly. Hayden had gotten her before he had, and now, even if she didn't count it as her first kiss, it would be what she looked back on when remembering someday. There was no way to go back in time so he could have another chance. It was really too late.

"I knew I should've made you kiss me for that last ticket."

He didn't realize he'd said the last part out loud until Sonny's head popped up and her eyes widened.

"What?" she asked slowly.

"Nothing," Chad replied, finally opening the door and going into the hallway. "Look, you're right, I should get going before your cast comes here…..Catch you later, Munroe!"

She watched him go, a confused feeling settling over her. Had he really just said what she thought he had?


	17. Episode 17: Sonny In the Middle

I'm not really sure how many of you have seen this episode. From what I heard, it hasn't been on TV yet, but it did come out on the Sonny With a Chance DVD. When I was originally writing this, Wikipedia was the website I was using as my episode guide, and it called this episode 17. I know it doesn't say that anymore, but it was too late for me to chance it. What happens in this chapter needs to be said to understand the next one. Sorry for any confusion this causes. If you haven't seen the episode yet, it is on youtube. Thanks again for all the reviews and sticking with me this far!!!!

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own Sonny With a Chance

Episode #17:

Sonny in the Middle

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Go To Lousy Parties**

The invitation for Nico and Grady's shared birthday party arrived in the mail a few days before the party was to take place. Chad picked it up, took one look at the hand-made item, and brought it to the studio later that day.

"What is this?" he demanded after pounding on Sonny's dressing room door to be met by an angry looking girl.

"Put that away, Nico and Grady could walk by at any second!" she ordered, using both of her hands to lower Chad's arm, which he had been using to hold up the card. "And I would appreciate it if you didn't come knocking on my door so early in the morning next time, alright?"

"For your information," Chad started to explain, pulling his arm out of Sonny's grasp, "I have actual work to do today. This is the only free time I have to come knocking on your door."

Sonny glanced nervously over her shoulder. When Chad tried to see what she was looking at, she quickly pulled the door shut so only her head was sticking out of it. What was she trying to hide?

"If you can't figure out how to read the card, take it home and have your mommy read it to you," she ordered him. "I have to go."

She tried to slam the door shut, but Chad stuck his foot in the way. Sonny opened it again, glaring at him, but she was crazy if she thought he was leaving now. By shutting the door, she was telling Chad he couldn't come in. Hadn't they already established that telling him he couldn't do something meant he had to do it?

When Sonny opened her mouth to say something, the voice Chad heard didn't belong to her. Instead, the voice came from inside the room.

"Let him in already, Sonny. I think he would love to see this!"

Hearing Tawni's approval, Chad was easily able to push the door open again. Sonny didn't fight him very hard, although she did slam it shut as soon as he was instead. He started to look around, trying to find whatever it was Sonny was hiding from him.

It didn't take him long to figure it out. In the middle of the dressing room, where Chad could've sworn a couch had been before, now sat a huge, wooden box.

Tawni was standing next to the box and it was a few inches over her head, which was saying a lot since she was wearing high-heeled shoes. The smile on her face was huge, which never happened when she was in the same room as Chad. Something big must be going on.

Turning to look at Sonny who was still standing by the door, her arms folded over her chest, Chad put a hand on the box.

"So, you finally found an upgrade," he said, giving her a thumbs-up. "Congratulations on your new house, Sonny!"

Tawni started laughing at his joke, but Sonny didn't.

"Actually, I bought it for you," she said instead, finally coming forward. "I thought a box would be a better home for a rat than wherever it is you live now."

Tawni laughed again and it was Chad who didn't join in this time.

"Ok, seriously," he changed the topic. "What's in this box?"

"It's the present Sonny got for Nico and Grady," Tawni spoke up before Sonny could. "Well, it's the present Sonny paid for but is from Zora and me, too. Anyway, she just finished telling me that she has no idea how to put it together. That's why-,"

Tawni was forced to stop talking when Sonny ran over to her, covering the blonde's mouth with both of her hands.

"We need you to leave," she said nervously. "That's why we need you to leave, so I can read the instructions and figure out how to put it together by myself."

As Tawni pushed Sonny's hands away, a scowl on her face, she shook her head back and forth. "No, I was going to say that's why we need him to stay, so he can help you put it together."

Chad smiled as he leaned against the box, not worrying about it being able to hold his weight. Sonny needed his help; it was obvious by the blush overtaking her face Tawni was the one telling the truth. He found it cute how she was too embarrassed to ask herself.

"Is that true, Sonny?" His smirk was enough to make her sick to her stomach. Why did he always have to be so cocky? "Do you really need my help?"

"Well, I wouldn't if my own cast would lend a helping hand every now and then."

Sonny sent a pointed look in Tawni's direction.

"I think I hear Marshall calling me," Tawni made up an excuse, walking to the door as fast as she could. She stopped before exiting, turning back to smile. "Have fun, you two!"

Without another word she took off, leaving Chad and Sonny alone in the dressing room.

"What would you like my help with first?" Chad asked, rubbing his hands together happily.

"I was thinking opening the box might be a good place to start," Sonny replied, a serious look on her face.

Opening the box took a long time, even though there were two of them working together. Sonny could barely reach the top of it, and Chad couldn't see high enough to find the correct opening place. He left and, much to Sonny's dismay, returned a few minutes later with a hammer.

Needless to say, the box didn't stay unopened for very long after that.

Inside the box was one of the chairs used for playing video games or just relaxing after a long day. It was a simple enough model. The only problem was that the instructions only came in Spanish. Basically, the two teens had to decide what went where just by looking at the pictures.

Sonny and Chad spent most of the day arguing. If Sonny thought the picture was showing one thing but Chad thought it was showing something else, of course he was right since he was the male which made him superior in this type of thing. Whenever Chad claimed that, Sonny would start doing what she believed the picture was telling her until Chad realized what she was doing and tried to take the pieces out of her hands. A shouting battle would begin.

Tawni was hesitant about knocking on the door when it was time for lunch. She didn't want either of them to miss the meal and thought they both deserved a break, but she could hear the yelling all the way down the hall.

"Hey, I just wanted to let you know-,"

That was all she was able to say after sticking her head inside before she ducked out again, stray pieces of the chair flying towards her face. Neither Chad nor Sonny made it to lunch that day.

When the clock in the room read 10:30, Chad and Sonny stood with their backs against the door, both of them sweating and panting. It had taken a lot of work, but finally, the chair was put together and ready to give away.

"Thanks so much for your help, Chad," Sonny said, using her sleeve to wipe her brow. "I never would've had that stupid thing finished this fast if I'd been working by myself."

"Chad Dylan Cooper doesn't work for free," Chad told her, smiling as Sonny sighed, thinking he was going to ask for something big. "Do you want to know how to pay me for my labor?"

"Go ahead and tell me. I know it's going to be bad, so……"

"Oh, it's not that bad," Chad explained, waiting for Sonny to look at him, her curiosity evident in her eyes. "I just want to be the first one to spin in the chair!"

He started to run forward, but Sonny grabbed his hand, pulling him to a stop.

"Hey, I'm the one who paid for the chair! If anyone gets to spin in it first, it should be me!" she protested, running ahead of him.

Chad used their still linked hands to pull Sonny back to his side, spinning her around as he did so as though the two of them were dancing. She ended up behind him and he took the opportunity to sprint ahead. Sonny caught back up quickly and put her hands on his shoulders, jumping onto his back.

She wasn't heavy, but Chad hadn't been expecting her to do that. His balance lost, he ended up falling to the ground, Sonny rolling off him and crawling toward the chair. Her hands were touching it and she was starting to pull her body up when he grabbed onto her leg.

"Chad!" she shouted, turning around and swatting at his hand.

He kept his hold on her until he had enough time to get back on his feet. Only then did he let go, thinking there was no way Sonny could beat him as he began to sit. Somehow, from her spot on the ground, she pulled the top half of her body into the chair right before Chad sat down.

She was laughing, actually laughing, as Chad sat down on top of her. When he looked down to see what was so funny, he couldn't stop himself from laughing as well. There she was, lying on her stomach, her head resting against the backrest of the chair, her legs still sprawled across the floor. He was on her back, his legs unable to touch the carpet with the height her body gave him. He was keeping her from being able to move.

"I always wondered what it would feel like to be a cushion," Sonny teased, trying hard not to laugh at her own joke.

Deciding to give the girl a break, Chad climbed to his feet, extending his hand so he could help Sonny up. She accepted it and together, they both looked at the chair. The same question was on their minds:

Who was going to spin in it first?

"You know…" Sonny's voice trailed off as she kept her eyes focused on anything but Chad. "The chair is big enough……We could both be the first to spin it."

It was the only fair way to decide, really. Sure, Sonny had paid for the chair, but Chad had helped her put it together. He'd sacrificed a whole day sitting in her dressing room, fighting with her about how to read the stupid pictures. They both deserved to be the first to spin in it.

"Good idea, Munroe," Chad finally said, holding his hand toward her again. "Shall we?"

They sat down together, each of them with one leg in the chair, the other on the floor. It was a tight fit, but neither of them seemed to mind. It wasn't like Nico and Grady, the two who really seemed to have a problem with them, were around to see.

"On the count of three," Sonny ordered. "One."

"Two, three!" Chad finished.

Sonny laughed as Chad used the floor to kick off, sending the chair into circle after circle after circle. She let her leg that was hanging off the chair float above the ground, enjoying the feeling she had as the slight breeze blew her hair from her face.

She was still laughing as the circles began to slow down. Slowly, she was able to make out the room again and the items weren't as blurry as they'd been when Chad had first pushed off.

Maybe the chair's first spin was almost over, but the excitement Sonny felt wasn't. She watched Chad's face as the spinning went slower and slower, willing him to look at her. He seemed too busy watching the room as it went by.

Perhaps she was just a little crazy after spinning around so many times. Maybe she lost a few of her brain cells during the short ride. Possibly Chad was sitting just a little too close.

Whatever the reason was, Sonny found herself leaning up and kissing Chad's cheek.

Chad was in shock when as the chair finally came to a complete stop. Sonny giggled, jumped away from him, and ran out of the room without saying a word. Slowly, he let his hand rest in the spot Sonny's lips had touched him.

Was he dreaming again?

***********

There were only two options the way Chad saw it: 1. He could go to Nico and Grady's party and bring their cool meter, which he knew would be low, up at least 110%. 2. He could skip the party altogether and never let his name be tied in with the Randoms.

If he didn't know Nico and Grady hated him and Sonny spending time together, he would've gone with option two. But he did know, and the only way to get the two of them on his side was by being nice to them. More than anything, he wanted Nico and Grady on his side.

He and Sonny hadn't talked about their last night together, or the kiss that had taken place, but it was all Chad could think about. He'd been telling himself for weeks now that one kiss with Sonny was all it would take to prove if their love was worth fighting for or not.

Sonny's kiss, even if it had just been on the cheek, was enough to answer Chad's question. Sparks had flown. He's seen fireworks every night since then when he tried to close his eyes at night. He finally felt like he was ready to put aside all the other girls. Sonny was the only one he wanted, the only one he would ever want.

But until he could win over her friends, nothing was going to change between them. He wasn't stupid enough to believe Sonny would put her friendship with her cast on the line if he told her how he felt. No, she was going to need all her friends to understand what was going on, maybe even to stand beside her in her choice.

And so, that's how Chad Dylan Cooper found himself going to what he knew was going to be a very lame birthday party. Attending would show Nico and Grady that he cared about them, even if it was only for Sonny's sake, and he was hoping that would gain him a few points.

Since nothing had changed between Sonny and Chad yet, he treated her the same way at the party he always treated her when they were around other people. She played along; after all, she had no idea anything was different in the first place. Unfortunately, Chad didn't get a chance to wish either birthday boy a happy birthday. They got into a fight over the chair Sonny had bought for them not even five minutes into their party.

While Sonny was busy trying to force Nico and Grady into being friends again, Chad started hanging out with Zora. Like Sonny had said, he had no idea what side she was on. He had no idea if she hated him like Nico and Grady or was on the fence about it like Tawni. In hopes of pushing her toward the fence, Chad thought doing whatever she wanted sounded like a good idea.

Zora ended up begging to go to the movies, and when Tawni heard Chad was taking her, she wanted to tag along as well. Chad took both of the girls and then, once the movie was over, offered to walk them home. He let the two girls go on ahead when he felt someone grab his arm.

"Who's touching Chad Dylan Cooper?" he demanded as he turned around, almost hitting Sonny in the face as he stood in a karate pose.

When he realized it was Sonny, his scared look faded and turned into a smile instead as he relaxed his pose.

"Oh, Sonny," he said happily, pretending to fix the collar of his jacket. "I wasn't expecting to see you tonight. What brings you out here?"

Even though they were standing on the sidewalk, the movie theatre was still right behind them. Sonny glanced at it over her shoulder before looking at Chad. Was he really asking her that question?

Chad followed her gaze, nodding his head as he said, "Ohh. Yeah, I decided to see a movie tonight, too. Actually, Zora decided to see a movie and I offered to take her."

"That's the part I wanted to talk to you about," Sonny finally spoke. "I saw you sitting by Zora and Tawni-,"

"And you became extremely jealous that they were sitting by me and you weren't?"

He gave her his best smile, but she rolled her eyes.

"Not exactly," she said although that had been her first thought upon seeing Chad sitting by her friends. He could hang out with them in public but not her? "I was just curious why you sat by them for the sake of being curious, but if you don't want to tell me, then I guess I don't have a reason to talk to you."

She turned and started walking in the same direction her cast mates had started out going. Chad watched her go, only taking about two seconds before deciding to follow her.

After all, it was the middle of the night. No girl should be walking alone, especially a cute star like Sonny. Being famous was a sure fire way to have people target you for a murder or kidnapping.

Sonny was surprised when Chad ran to her side. She hadn't expected him to walk with her. He stayed a few feet away so the gap between their bodies was as big as the sidewalk allowed. Still, she found herself smiling as the two of them walked step in step with each other.

The moon was out although it wasn't full and the stars were twinkling in the sky as the two teens continued their walk. Sonny shivered violently, but she wasn't sure if it was because of the sudden breeze or something else. 'Of course it's the breeze,' she thought quickly. 'Why else would I be getting goose bumps?'

"I've been hanging out with Zora a lot lately," Chad said, bringing Sonny out of her thoughts. She looked at him, but he kept his eyes on the ground. "You told me you're not sure how she feels about me, so I thought I would try to get her on my side. I thought maybe if you had Tawni and Zora talking to you, you might…"

His voice trailed off, leaving his thought unsaid and her mind reeling. What did he mean by that? Why was he trying to get Zora to like him? Nico and Grady still didn't, Tawni only encouraged it because she knew if Sonny had a boyfriend she wouldn't be hanging around so often, and Zora wasn't going to convince the rest of the Mackenzie Falls cast to accept Sonny.

Why was he trying so hard to get on everyone's good side? It wasn't like he really wanted a relationship with Sonny…Did he? He was Chad Dylan Cooper; he could have any girl he wanted. He seemed to like torturing Sonny more than talking to her. She wouldn't let him do that if they were dating. He'd have to treat her with respect, meaning he wouldn't talk down to her like he did now. Sure, they could still argue over whose show was the best, but it would be more of a friendly fight than anything else.

Sonny wasn't sure what a relationship with Chad would be like. After all their fighting, which she liked in a way since it was their 'thing', it was hard to picture him being caring. He had been nice to her on more than one occasion, like all the times they met up outside of their shows without their casts around. She liked both sides of Chad.

Which Chad would be the one she dated? Would she be saying yes to the one she saw around her cast or the one who showed up when they were alone? Was it possible to say yes to both of them?

She jumped in surprise when she felt a tug on her hand. Thinking someone was trying to attack her, Sonny turned toward the touch, ready to fight back. She stopped when she saw how close Chad was standing to her. The touch had come from him as he gently took her hand.

Thankful for the dark sky, Sonny could feel her cheeks starting to blush. She was glad Chad couldn't see her. If she'd been able to see his face though, she'd have known he was just as red.

"Do you want to hang out or something?" he asked nervously, relaxing a little. He'd been afraid Sonny might push his hand away, but when she gripped back even tighter, he knew he was in the safe zone.

She turned her attention to him, her dark eyes sparkling in the darkness.

"When?" she asked, her voice eager.

"How about now?" He was just as eager as she was. "Your friends already left, so it's not like they have to know. We could go out for ice cream or something. My car's at the studio, we can walk there and get it before-,"

"Actually, I have to go straight home tonight," Sonny cut him off, starting to pull her hand away. "If you run, I bet you could catch up with Zora and Tawni, they might be able to do something."

He tightened his hold on her hand, waiting for her eyes before speaking.

"I've hung out with the two of them enough for one day," he said seriously. "If it's alright with you, I think I'll walk you home instead."

She didn't protest, so Chad stayed at her side as they continued with their walk. He knew where Sonny's apartment was so he led the way, always staying one step in front of Sonny.

They were silent for most of the walk, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. Both seemed content just being with each other and holding hands for the first time. Although they'd never admit it to each other, they were both going through the thrill of a new thing, that natural high you got at the beginning of a new crush. It was a wonderful feeling and neither of them wanted it to go away.

But like all good things, their night had to come to an end. All too soon they were standing in the hallway of Sonny's apartment, waiting outside her door. She had her back leaning against it as she faced Chad, who was holding both her hands in his. He didn't want to say goodnight yet.

"So….." Sonny dragged the word out, her eyes meeting Chad's. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," he confirmed.

"Good."

"Good."

"Fine."

"Fine."

"Good."

"Good."

As Chad felt Sonny start to pull away from him, he clutched to her tighter, forcing her to stop. He leaned forward, ready to finally make his move. It was now or never. He'd tried so many times before, but this time, he wasn't going to chicken out.

"Chad…Stop."

Sonny's voice was firm and when Chad stood back to his full height, his eyes flying open, he saw she was looking at him with a serious expression. She tried again to pull away her hands, and this time, he let her do it.

"I'm not going to risk my friendship with Nico and Grady over this," she said, her voice going much too fast. "And you shouldn't risk yours with your cast either. We're not good for each other, Chad. You should go with Portlyn or someone else and forget about me."

Chad's mouth fell open as Sonny turned her back to him, reaching for the doorknob so she could disappear inside. He grabbed her shoulder before she could go and the door, already opened a crack, fell shut again.

"What are you talking about, Munroe?" he demanded. "I don't like Portlyn; you know she only plays my love interest on the show. She's like a sister to me!"

"Well, she's not like a sister to me," Sonny shot back. "Look, Chad, nothing can ever happen between us. You know that as well as I do. Why don't you do both of us a favor and stop trying so hard to win me over? Give it a rest, won't you?"

"Sonny, wait, I-,"

He didn't get a chance to stop her as she slammed the door in his face. He was left alone in the hallway, feeling more confused than ever before. She had kissed him the other night, but when he tried to return the favor, she rejected him and told him to try dating Portlyn?

Sonny wasn't going to get away that easily. She could deny her true feelings as much as she wanted to, but Chad knew the truth. Or, at least, he hoped he did. Sonny liked him just as much as he liked her.

How was he going to help her reach that conclusion if she wanted him to stop trying?


	18. Episode 18: Guest Star

Ok, well, this is the last chapter I can write probably until something in November. It really all depends on whenever Disney decides to finally show a new episode of this show, which I guess isn't happening during their Wiz-tober, although the Suite Life on Deck gets a new season and it has nothing to do with Halloween. *sigh* Disney makes me really mad sometimes….

Anyway, I had a lot of fun writing this and I hope all of you have had fun reading it. Thank you for sticking with me for 18 chapters, with all my spelling and grammar mistakes and slow moments. You still stuck with me right up to the end. Once again, thank you everyone for the reviews. They were all a joy to read and really inspired me to keep on writing. Thank you so much everyone!!!!

Disclaimer: If I owned Sonny With a Chance, I would make sure to show new episodes even if it is the middle of October

Episode #18:

Guess Who's Coming to Guest Star

**Chad Dylan Cooper Always Has Co-stars Who Fall In Love With Him**

Sonny lived by her words as much as she could. She'd told Chad to stop trying to win her over, and to help him do his job, she stopped talking to him so much. She didn't visit the Mackenzie Falls set at all and when he wandered over to So Random!, she stayed locked in her dressing room until Tawni informed her he was gone. During lunch, she only talked to him when he talked to her first.

He would eventually give up on her if she kept ignoring him, right? Guys liked the chasing at first, but not when it went on forever. Sooner or later he'd find another girl to fall in love with and would finally leave her alone.

She didn't just want Chad to leave her alone; she needed him to. As long as there was a rivalry between their casts, it wasn't worth it to risk everything for a relationship that would probably end in disaster. The What If game kept playing through her head even though she tried not to think about Chad. Sometimes it was impossible not to play the game.

What if she and Chad did get together? What if their casts refused to speak to either of them? What if both of their shows ratings went down because the chemistry was so bad between Chad and his cast and Sonny and her cast that neither show was worth watching? What if they risked everything to be together and then he ended up leaving her broken-hearted?

Unfortunately, that was only round one of the What If game. There was a whole other round in Sonny's mind full of the good things that could come out of a relationship with Chad.

What if Chad was her soul mate? What if the press caught on to the relationship and both of their shows got higher ratings because the two of them were in the media so much? What if their two casts eventually stopped fighting because of the togetherness Sonny and Chad would have? What if going out with Chad was the best thing she would ever do?

'It's not worth it,' she told herself time and time again. 'Come on, Sonny, you made it past the hard part. You turned Chad down when he tried to kiss you and told him to leave you alone. From here on out, it's easy going. All you have to do is wait for him to move on. He's Chad Dylan Cooper; how long could it possibly take him to find someone else?'

Chad wasn't stupid. He heard Sonny ask him, more so order him, to leave her alone. He noticed she stopped coming to see him, wouldn't look at him if he cornered her in the lunch room, and was always in her dressing room when he came to her set, Tawni standing right outside the locked door.

"Sonny's still hiding from me, huh?" he'd ask her, keeping his voice low enough that Sonny wouldn't be able to hear.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Tawni would always reply, speaking loudly and Chad knew Sonny had her ear pressed to the door, waiting for Tawni to give the word for her to be able to leave.

Tawni might've claimed to have no idea what Chad was talking about, but even as she said the words, her head was nodding, confirming the real answer to his question.

"I guess I'll just be heading back to the set of Mackenzie Falls then," Chad would say, talking just as loudly as Tawni.

He hoped if Sonny thought he was leaving, she might leave the room. He was getting sick of only seeing her from across the lunch room. But his plan never worked. Sonny refused to leave the room until Tawni told her to.

"Come on, Tawni!" Chad whisper-yelled one day. "Tell Sonny I already left, please. I really want to talk to her."

"I'm not going to lie to her, Chad," Tawni protested. "Why are you trying so hard to talk to her anyway? You should be happy she's not talking to you. She's part of my cast, not yours, remember?"

"Just tell her I already left!" Chad demanded, forgetting to keep his voice down.

"You do know this room isn't sound-proof, don't you, Chad?"

Tawni shrugged her shoulders at Sonny's shout, Chad sighed angrily, and he didn't stop by the dressing room again.

He had a better idea to get Sonny talking to him.

Marshall didn't like the idea at first. He didn't know about the rivalry between the two shows, but he did know the So Random! cast didn't speak about Chad very often and when they did, it wasn't typically nice things. But his guest star cancelled on him and Chad was very popular to a lot of the same fans who watched the comedy show. With a loud sigh, he agreed to the plan.

No one told Sonny and Tawni about the change of plans. They were still counting on their other famous guest star to show up. The two of them were drooling over a picture of said guest star when Marshall came in to talk to them.

"'He had to cancel,"' he told the two girls, who both started panicking right away. "'Listen, here's the good news: I found someone even better to guest star on So Random! this week!"'

He pointed toward the door. Tawni and Sonny both started to get excited, wondering who could be better than the man they thought would be coming. If he was better, then he was going to have to be cute, tall, and-

Anyone not named Chad Dylan Cooper.

To Sonny's dismay, Chad waltzed into the room like he owned the place, looking as cool as she'd ever seen him look. She knew he was trying to show off; it didn't take a genius to figure out he'd been behind this all along, obviously some sort of secret plan to trick her into talking to him again.

She wasn't going to fall for it. Just because he was guest starring on her show didn't mean she would have to talk to him. Tawni and Nico and Grady could take care of him; she'd be too busy looking for a new hiding place.

Nico and Grady became too busy having fun in their new dressing room, also known as Marshall's office, to worry about Chad. Zora was nowhere to be found, and when Sonny begged Tawni to take care of Chad, the blonde denied the offer.

"Uh, I think I've been doing enough favors for you," she replied, pushing away the hands Sonny clutched her arm with. "You're on your own this time."

She didn't take two steps before Sonny was clutching at her again.

"Tawni, I don't think you understand. I can't be the one waiting on Chad's every wish! I really need you to do this for me, please! Do this and I'll never ask you for anything ever again!"

For the second time, Tawni pulled her arm out of Sonny's grasp.

"Ok, look, I have no idea what's going on between you and Chad, but he's been desperate to talk to you and you've been just as desperate to avoid him," she said, stating the obvious. "I'm done getting in the middle. You can work out your own problems from now on."

"But, Tawni, I-,"

There was nothing Sonny could do but watch helplessly as Tawni walked away. She was stuck being Chad's personal slave for the week. His plan was going to work after all. She was going to have to talk to him.

As much as she didn't want to start falling for Chad again, her heart wouldn't listen to her brain. The more time she spent around Chad, the more she heard him claim over and over again they were going to fall in love, she began to believe it. Everything he said came true; the stumbling, the nervousness, getting lost in his eyes, the dream…

Did Chad think he was physic or something? How was he able to know everything what was going to happen to her before it really happened?

Chad was able to answer that question easily: he knew exactly what was going to happen because every female co-star he ever worked with had gone through the same thing. According to him, all of his co-stars fell in love with him.

Hearing him say that made Sonny want to fight her heart even more. She couldn't let herself fall into Chad's usual trap. If she fell for him like all his other co-stars, who was to say he wouldn't dump her whenever the next girl came along?

He wasn't trying to answer that question, but Sonny still got her answer: for the first time, he was falling in love with the co-star who was supposed to be falling for him.

Although the thought of Chad feeling the same way she did made Sonny feel like she was on Cloud Nine, she did a good job of hiding it. She was an actress, after all, and no matter what Chad said, she was good at her job. As she and Chad performed their scene on live television, she muttered one last line before the moment she didn't want to come was going to happen:

"'I'll kiss you for real when pigs fly."'

Chad smiled cockily and started leaning in closer to Sonny. For the sake of her career, Sonny leaned in as well, closing her eyes. She knew the dreaded moment was coming-

Her eyes flew open when a pig landed in her arms. Not quite sure what to do, she looked at Chad, who was still coming closer, his eyes closed tightly. Shrugging her shoulders, she let the pig take care of the scene for her.

Chad started protesting as soon as he knew what had happened. Sonny, on the other hand, was all smiles as she carried the pig off the set. The kiss was the final step in Chad's plan for all his co-stars, and since she hadn't done it, she could deny being in love with him.

As she walked away, Chad followed Sonny at first, trying to convince her she still wanted to kiss him, even though the cameras were off. She ignored him, taking the pig back to her dressing room and locking the door behind her.

She needed time to think before seeing Chad again. She would talk to him soon; all she needed was a few days to get her thoughts in order first.

Their next conversation could change their relationship forever.

***********

Chad was sound asleep when a loud _buzzzzzzzzzzzzzz_ made his eyes flutter open. He almost rolled off his bed, but thankfully he was able to grab the nightstand before falling to the floor. As he got into a more comfortable position, he clapped his hands. The light that turned on was bright enough to make him shield his eyes.

Trying to rub the sleep from his eyes, Chad focused in on his alarm clock, wondering what time it was. His room had been pitch black before he'd turned on his light, which meant only one thing:

It was way too early for Chad Dylan Cooper to be awake.

Sure enough, the red numbers on his alarm clock confirmed Chad's thoughts. It was only 2:15 AM. Who had the nerve to wake him up at this time in the morning?!

It wasn't hard to find the reason for the loud noise that had taken him away from his dreams. As it sounded for a second time, he turned his attention to his cell phone, where the screen was lighting up. He was getting a new text message.

"I really have to remember to turn this thing off before I go to bed," he muttered, reaching for his phone. He was about to hit the ignore button when his finger froze.

There were two new text messages on his phone, each barring the same name: Sonny Munroe.

He hadn't talked to her since the sketch they had done together, the night they were supposed to kiss but she'd let the pig do her job for her. Sure, he'd tried to talk to her after that, but when she asked him firmly if she could talk to him when she was ready, he backed off. He wasn't sure why she needed time or what she was doing with it, but he was willing to give her anything she wanted.

Knowing he wouldn't be able to fall asleep if he turned off his phone now, Chad quickly opened the first message, holding his breath as he waited for it to load. Once it finally did, one word took over his screen:

_Hey._

She'd woken him up at two in the morning just to say hey?! If her second message didn't say something more interesting than that, he was going to-

He didn't have to worry about finishing his threat. After waiting for the next message to load, he was happy to see it was longer than the first one. It read:

_I just remembered that you're probably sleeping right now. If by some odd chance you are awake, I'm at the park. Meet me at 2:30?_

_p.s. Sorry if I woke you up _

Chad turned his attention back to the clock. Now it was 2:19, and the park was a good ten minutes away. He was never going to make it on time!

Grabbing a shirt that was lying on the floor, Chad ran to his car, jumping into the driver's seat and slamming his foot onto the gas pedal without taking the time to check his mirrors. He didn't really expect to see any other traffic at this time of night.

Sure enough, he didn't see another car during the short drive. When he turned into the park's parking lot, he didn't see a car there, either. How had Sonny gotten here? She hadn't walked all the way from her house, had she?!

He climbed out of his car, slipping the shirt on over his head before running forward. He hadn't thought to bring a flashlight. The only lights were in the parking lot, and they were barely light enough for him to see the playground at all. Maybe Sonny wasn't even on the playground. Maybe she was sitting in the bleachers at one of the baseball diamonds. The only way to find out was to text her.

Just as Chad was pulling out his phone, he heard a soft voice say, "Looking for me?"

He looked around quickly, trying to find the source of the voice. It had sounded close, and he was pretty sure it wasn't so dark that the owner would be impossible to see. His eyes narrowed as he tried to see farther ahead.

"Not over there," the voice giggled. "Try looking up."

Doing as the voice ordered, Chad sighed in relief. There was Sonny, sitting at the top of the jungle gym, her legs swinging back and forth like a little girl would do. She did look, dare he say it, cute as she smiled down at him.

"This is why you texted me at two o'clock in the morning?" he asked. "You wanted me to be here in case you fell?"

If he could see Sonny's face as well as he thought he could, he could've sworn she glared at him.

Instead of answering his question, she started to stand up. He ran to her side quickly, offering his hand. There wasn't a lot of room for standing on the jungle gym, just one thin bar amidst a million holes. The last thing he wanted was for Sonny to lose her balance and fall.

Slapping his hand away, Sonny kept raising up until she was standing at her full height, her bare feet (where were her shoes?!) barely fitting on the steel bar. Her body shook as she extended her arms, trying to get better balance. All the while, she smiled down at Chad.

"Does this tell you I'm afraid of falling?" she demanded.

A slight breeze picked that second to start blowing. As her hair blew into her face, Sonny tried to fix it without thinking about what she was doing. Without her arms out to help stay steady, her balance was gone. She started to fall and knew she was about to break an arm or leg or maybe even neck-

Thankfully, Chad had played baseball in the backyard with his dad for years when he was a little kid. He'd gotten pretty good at catching. To him, Sonny's body was no different than trying to catch a baseball. All he had to do was line up the catch.

He easily caught the girl in his arms before she could hit the ground. Instead of setting her down right away, he held her, watching as her closed eyes opened in surprise. Had she really thought he was going to let her get hurt?

"No, that doesn't tell me you're afraid of falling," he finally answered her question. "Although it does tell me you should be."

As he finally began to put Sonny down, she wrapped her arms around his neck in protest.

"I already had to walk across the woodchucks barefooted once," she explained, looking at the ground. "Please don't make me do it again."

"Why do I have a feeling you only asked me to come so I could play your slave for a night?" Chad asked sarcastically as Sonny directed him in the direction of her shoes.

His only answer was a huge grin.

He waited patiently as Sonny put her shoes back on, taking the time to untie each of them and tie them again tighter than before. When she was finally ready, she surprised him by putting her hand in his.

"Can we walk?" she asked softly.

Chad nodded his head, too shocked to speak. Sonny started walking, and when he felt a tug on his hand, begging him to follow, he complied.

When he had first gotten her text messages, he'd been excited, happy that she was finally asking to see him. He missed hanging out with her and talking to her. Now that he was finally at her side, he didn't know what to expect. Was it a good thing she'd taken his hand, or was she trying to comfort him from the bad news she was about to give? Was she going to talk to him at all, or did she just want a shoulder to lean on for a night?

All of those questions and a million more went through his head as Sonny continued leading him down the sidewalk outlining the park. She'd glance over her shoulder every now and then, like she was checking on him, and he would give her hand an extra squeeze. Her smile made him feel better, but at the same time, it brought new doubts to him.

He kept his mouth shut, not wanting to ask any of his questions. Sonny was the one who said she needed time. Sonny was the one to text him in the early hours of the morning. Sonny was going to be the one to talk first.

The sidewalk the two of them walked down didn't just lead around the park. A part of it branched out into the woods, and that was the path Sonny started down. It had been years since Chad had been to the park, but he knew where they would end up if they continued down the path.

Apparently Sonny knew, as well. She didn't seem surprised as they came upon a pond, surrounded on all sides by trees. It was almost impossible to see through the thick trunks, but a path had been cleared out years ago large enough for a dock to be built. When you were on the dock, you could see the water clear as day.

The only thing Chad didn't like about the dock was the fact that it had no railing. Parents worried about letting their kids play on it, afraid they may accidentally fall into the water. As Sonny sat down on the edge, letting her feet dangle just above the waterline, he wasn't so sure if was safe for them to be out, either.

"You might as well sit down," Sonny said as Chad continued to stand beside her. "I…I'm finally ready to talk."

That was all it took to make Chad sit down beside her. His legs were longer so he didn't let them dangle off the edge like Sonny did, and he left a large space between their bodies. Waiting for her to go on, he let his eyes study her face.

Now that they were in a clear space, the slight light from the moon reflecting off the water, it was easier to see. Sonny wasn't looking at him, more so refusing to stare at him, and he could see her mouth opening and closing time and time again.

She was going to give him bad news, wasn't she?

"I'm sorry for making you wait so long before talking to you," she finally started. "And I'm sorry for waking you up this morning. Don't even try to deny that I woke you up, either, Cooper."

Her hand moved toward him slowly, gently stroking the sweatpants he still had on, the sweatpants he wore to bed every night. Chad could feel his cheeks start to redden, but Sonny's hand was gone before he could say anything.

"Ok, here's the deal," she said, finally meeting his eyes. "I've been thinking about the whole falling in love with you thing since the night you guest starred on So Random!, and I've talked to some people about it-,"

"Who have you talked to about it?!"

"Tawni." Sonny went on, not noticing the surprised look that crossed Chad's face. Tawni was capable of giving advice? "Anyway, she helped me realize one thing. I really did want to kiss you that night, even if you had just kissed a pig."

Chad felt his mouth fall open. He'd been right all along! She really did want to kiss him!

"But it really doesn't matter how much I wanted to kiss you then, or how much I want to right now," Sonny went on to explain. "Nothing changes the fact that you're Chad Dylan Cooper, the star of Mackenzie Falls, Hollywood's bad boy, a heartthrob to girls everywhere. I'm just Allison 'Sonny' Munroe, an actress on So Random!, the new girl from Wisconsin."

Before she could go on, Chad stretched out his hand, cupping her chin. He forced her to look at him so he could stare straight into her eyes.

"You are not now, nor have you ever been, just the new girl from Wisconsin."

"Maybe not in your eyes," she sighed, pushing away his hand with one shove. "That's how the rest of the world sees me though. Can you imagine what would happen if the two of us got together? Everyone went crazy in the past when they thought we were a couple. What would happen if we told them we really were?"

Chad could see where this was going. She was going to tell him they couldn't be together, that after all her thinking time, she'd reached her final decision. He decided it was time to fight back.

"The press and fans may go crazy for awhile, but they'll get used to it," he said quickly. "They'll calm down after they see us together a few times, and then-,"

"What? And then what happens, Chad? Our shows gets canceled because neither of our casts will talk to us? Nico and Grady will disown me? You'll fall in love with your next co-star and everything will be for nothing?" She shook her head back and forth. "I'm not saying there can never be an us. I really like you, and I hope someday, we'll be able to try a real relationship. But in reality, I haven't been here very long, we don't know much about each other, and our shows are still rivals. If we give it a little more time, if the two of us are really meant to be, it'll happen sooner or later."

So that was it. For tonight, tomorrow, and who knew how long, Sonny wasn't his. They were going to go on with their lives as they were now until the world was ready for them to be a real couple.

He didn't like her choice, but at least she said there was a chance. Even better than that, she said she hoped one day they would be able to try a relationship. He was willing to wait. He was willing to keep talking to her in secret like they did now, to keep fighting with her in the public eye, to help push the two of their casts together.

Whatever it took to keep Sonny happy, he would do. There was something about her that made him do things he could never picture himself doing. He knew for a fact he wouldn't do it for any other girl. There was something special about Sonny.

"If that's what you really want, then I'll respect your decision," Chad said, receiving a smile from Sonny. "I just wonder one thing though."

"What's that?" Sonny asked, encouraging him to go on.

He slid a little closer to her, slightly closing the gap between them. When she didn't protest, he took her hand gently, flipping it onto its back so he could twine his fingers with hers.

"Just because we're not going out doesn't mean you can't have that kiss you've been longing for," he said, his voice soft, barely above a whisper. "Here we are, alone, neither of our casts or camera crews or photographers around. I could kiss you now and no one would know but the two of us."

Already he was moving his body closer and closer to hers. His eyes were staring straight into hers, and she could see the seriousness that was there. He wasn't playing one of his tricks on her; he was really willing to kiss her.

"Oh, Chad Dylan-,"

"Shh," Chad hushed her, placing a finger on her lips. "The time for talking is over."

Still leaning closer, he slowly took his finger off Sonny's lips. She looked into those sparkling blue eyes until he finally closed them. By that time, he was much too close. She could feel his breath on her face, could feel the shivers she got every time he grew too close. If he moved less than an inch more, they would finally kiss for the first time.

Just as Chad was about to close the small gap left, he felt his body start to move forward. His eyes flew open quickly, but he was too late; there wasn't enough time to grab anything to save him from falling.

Sonny's mouth fell open as Chad's whole body disappeared under the water.

His head popped out again after only a few seconds, his already messy hair now plastered to his face. Sonny didn't want to laugh; she had a feeling Chad would kill her if she did anything but try to help him. She slapped a hand over her mouth, hoping it would be enough to keep her laughter in.

"What happened?" she managed to ask, covering her mouth again as soon as the words were out.

"I must've sat too close to the edge," Chad replied before demanding, "Are you going to help me out or sit there like an idiot for the rest of the night?!"

Sonny had been planning on helping Chad out. She was already crouched down, her hand extended in his direction. Just as he started to reach for it, she stood up to her full height again.

"Actually, I think I'll leave you in there for the reporters to find," she said thoughtfully. "I can see the headline now: Chad Dylan Cooper Makes a Huge Splash!"

She turned her back to leave. Chad deserved to be left in the water after calling her an idiot. Less than five steps later-

A new chill swept through her entire body as water drenched her from head to foot. When she turned back to the water, her mouth hanging open, Chad smiled innocently at her.

"I can see the headline now," he mimicked her, putting his hands out in front of his face for effect. "Chad Dylan Cooper Tricks Sonny Munroe Into a Midnight Swim."

Sonny let out the best fake laugh she could.

"I'm not getting in the water, Chad."

"I beg to differ, Sonny."

"I won't."

"You will."

"I won't."

"You will."

"I won't."

"You won't."

"I will."

"Ha!"

Chad wasn't as dumb as Sonny liked to think he was. He used his own game against her, and he was smiling at his victory. Shaking her head, Sonny tried to leave-

And was once again hit with a flood of water.

"Chad, I swear, if you do that one more time-,"

Sonny never got to finish her threat. As she started her speech, she walked closer to Chad, stepping too close to the edge of the dock. He easily swam up to her, took both of her hands, and pulled her into the pond.

Their almost-kiss forgotten about, Chad and Sonny swam for hours after that, not climbing onto the dock until the sun had been up for several hours. Since it was a Saturday and they didn't have to go to Condor studios, they decided to let the sun dry them and lay on the dock together, Chad cradling Sonny much like he had done the night she slept on his chest.

The only difference was, this time, Sonny was awake to enjoy the moment with him. They spent the day talking and laughing and trying to forget they may never get the chance to be together in real life.

For the moment, they weren't a couple, but they were as close as two friends could be.

Everything was finally perfect.


	19. Episode 19: Hart to Hart

This episode actually hasn't been on Disney Channel yet. It premiers this Sunday at 8, but I never wait for Disney Channel shows to air. This one has been uploaded onto youtube if you want to watch it. If you would rather wait for it to air, then I wouldn't recommend reading this. There are spoilers for people who haven't seen the episode yet. So, that is my warning.

Anyway, I was happy when Disney finally decided it was time to show a new episode because I knew I could finally add another chapter to this story. Thank you if you read/reviewed on any of the old chapters. This one is kind of short. I couldn't think of much to add really. But what I have is the best I could come up with. Sorry. I hope you like it, and please review it if you read it!!

Disclaimer: I still don't own Sonny With a Chance

Episode #19:

Hart to Hart

**Chad Dylan Cooper Alone Uses His Private Bathroom**

Sonny Munroe needed a break. Sure, she felt horrible for telling Tawni to fire her manager and felt even worse after finding out the manager was her own mother. She didn't mind letting Tawni stay at her house until the feud between her mom and her was over, either. What did bother Sonny was the fact that she was now obligated to wait on Tawni hand and foot, giving her cast mate whatever she wanted whenever she wanted it, even if it meant staying up all night long.

It was a tiring job since Tawni not only wanted things done faster than she could blink, but she also wanted them done to her preference of perfect. Maybe if Sonny had lived with her blonde cast mate for years, she would know what 'perfect' was, but she hadn't and therefore had to do almost all her orders over again.

All Sonny really needed was a chance to get away from the demanding girl and get a few well deserved hours of sleep. While the rest of her cast was rehearsing a sketch she wasn't in (it only called for four actors, not five), Sonny headed to the prop house, looking forward to plopping down on the couch and getting the sleep she needed.

When she saw Chad standing in the middle of the room, she knew she wasn't going to be getting any sleep yet.

"Chad, what are you doing here?" she asked in an annoyed sigh. "You're done guest-starring, remember? You're free to go bother your own cast now."

As though just noticing he wasn't alone in the room, Chad rushed toward Sonny, but instead of stopping beside her, he went to the doorway, sticking his head out as he looked one way and then the other.

"Who are you looking for?"

"I can't tell you right here," Chad replied, coming back into the room and walking over to the photo booth. He moved the curtain and held it open like he was waiting for Sonny to walk through. "We have to go into hiding first incase someone overhears us."

He stood there for a long time, holding back the curtain, motioning for Sonny to step inside. She shook her head, not caring about whatever his stupid plan was.

"Look, normally I would be all over your stupid little game and have fun making fun of you for it," she started off, "But I only came in here to get a nap. So, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll leave you alone and it would be really nice if you could do the same to me."

Just as Sonny prepared to sit down, she felt an arm wrap around her waist, keeping her on her feet as it dragged her along beside Chad, leading her toward the photo booth. She should've known he wasn't going to let her off the hook so easily. In a way, Chad was like Tawni: they both wanted things done their way. He just had other ways of forcing you to play along.

Once Sonny was in the photo booth, Chad followed her, pulling the curtain shut behind him. He made a big deal about pulling it on both sides, trying to make sure not even one little peek was showing. Sonny watched, her arms folded over her chest.

"Now would you care to explain why we're in here?" she asked.

"I'm working with that new security guard," Chad replied, his back to her as he continued fixing the curtain. "Someone's used my bathroom and I think it was Nico and Grady."

So many questions came to mind that Sonny had no idea where to start with them. She decided to start with the easiest one.

"What do you mean someone's been using your bathroom? Aren't the bathrooms on the sets for everyone to use?"

Chad laughed as he glanced at Sonny over his shoulder, saying, "Maybe that's how the rest of the bathrooms are used. But I'm Chad Dylan Cooper, remember? I have my own private bathroom."

"What's so special about it that no one else can use it? Isn't it just a bathroom?"

Sonny knew she'd said something wrong when Chad finally turned to face her, his mouth set in a straight line.

"A bathroom is never just a bathroom," he explained in a serious tone. "It's a place where a man can be a man, where he can get away from the world and really be himself. If someone else uses his room, it no longer feels…like a sanctuary."

Whether it was because she was tired or it had just been such a long time since she'd been able to laugh, Sonny smiled up at Chad.

"Really, Chad? Really?" she asked, trying her best not to giggle. "A sanctuary?"

He glared as he shook his head back and forth.

"Some people will just never understand the importance of a private bathroom," he stated as a final argument.

Maybe he was right about that. Sonny didn't understand what was so important about no one being allowed to use Chad's private bathroom and she had a feeling even if she was more awake it still would've made no sense to her. Either way, as Chad explained they were stuck in hiding until Nico and Grady came into the room so the two boys could be snuck up on, Sonny tried to escape.

"No, no, no," Chad protested as she tried to pull open the curtain. "If you leave now, they might see you walking out and you may tell them I'm here."

"They're rehearsing right now. There's no way they would see me," she tried telling him. "And if I want to tell them you're here, I can do it just as easily from inside this photo booth. All I have to do is scream out, 'Chad's holding me captive in here!' and they'll have a pretty good idea you're in the prop house."

"Yes, but you can't scream if I do this."

He pulled Sonny against his chest, keeping one arm wrapped around her torso to hold her in place, using his other hand to cover her mouth. At first, Sonny was too shocked to fight him away. Chad took advantage of that, putting his lips so they were only inches from her ear.

"It's kind of nice in here, don't you think?" he whispered. "The two of us crammed into one tiny place…It's kind of romantic."

Oh, he wanted romance? That was no problem for Sonny. She was more than happy to show him a little love.

Hoping Chad wouldn't notice what she was doing, she moved her foot behind her, trying to find his. His hand was still over her mouth, keeping her from replying to his words any other way, so when she felt her heel tap the outline of his shoe, she lifted her foot in the air, counted to three, then slammed it down as hard as she could.

Chad let out a loud yelp, Sonny was set free, and she smiled as she watched the three named jerk-throb pick up his foot and start jumping up and down.

"That's what you get for trying to take advantage of Sonny Munroe," she stated before sitting down on the small bench you were supposed to sit on as the photo booth snapped your picture. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take that nap I came here for in the first place."

"Uh, I don't think so," Chad protested, taking both her hands and pulling her to her feet. "That bench is only big enough for one of us to sit down."

"Which is exactly why I should be the one to sit."

"Why does that mean you should be able to sit? Your name isn't Chad Dylan Cooper."

"No, it's not," Sonny agreed. "But I was forced in here against my will. Not only that, but I'm a girl. Letting me sit down is the polite thing to do."

"Well, I hope you're a fast girl then because whoever sits down first gets to stay on the bench!"

Without another words, both teens headed toward the bench. Sonny never understood why the bench was so small (weren't photo booths supposed to hold more than one person so you could have your picture taken with your friends?), but as she and Chad started fighting for it, both of them stuck standing as they tried to sit, she wished the place was bigger. Chad was pushing her into the wall and as she fought back, she could see his elbow trying to find a grip in the wall as well. She was sure they were both going to be full of bruises.

In a moment of weakness, Sonny stopped fighting long enough to take a breath (she was panting from all the pushing). Chad took over the bench, laughing as he exclaimed, "Peace out, sucker!"

"I don't want to stand up all afternoon," Sonny whined.

"Then sit down on the floor," Chad told her.

"The floor is dirty."

"Don't complain to me, Munroe. That was a fair competition. It's not my fault you're not as strong as I am."

Her laziness overtaking her, Sonny could only see one way to sit down, other than using the floor as Chad suggested. She was going to use her idea, even if it did feel a little bit weird to both of them. If he didn't like it, he could always sit on the floor instead.

Without giving Chad any warning, she sat down on his lap.

She heard him groan a little as she moved back and forth, pretending she was trying to get comfortable but really only trying to put him in more pain. Finally, she leaned against his chest, resting her head on his shoulder, taking his hands and wrapping them around her waist just to be sure she wouldn't fall to the floor. For the first time since she was a little girl, she couldn't feel the floor beneath her feet and it gave her an uneasy feeling.

"How am I going to get up when Nico and Grady show up?" Chad demanded, although his voice didn't sound angry.

"You're the one who wanted to sit on the bench. I actually think this is a lot more comfortable, but that's just my opinion." Sonny nuzzled deeper into his shoulder. "Now, if you'll shut up long enough, it's finally time for my nap."

And Chad did shut up, but not because Sonny asked him to. He shut up because he wasn't sure how much longer he could talk before losing all his air. Sonny was in his lap and it wasn't his doing. She'd decided to sit there on her own, and now she was using him as a pillow. Any moment when he got to hold her was a great one, even though he had no idea when the moment would be over. Nico and Grady could enter the prop house at any second and he would have to wake Sonny up.

But for now, as her breathing became slower and more relaxed, he held her waist a little bit tighter and let his head rest on top of hers. He wasn't willing to move when he heard the two boys enter the room. What was the point in surprising them right away? He waited until he could hear the two of them playing video games, enjoying every last second he could with Sonny.

Why did all great moments have to come to an end?

When he couldn't put it off any longer, Chad gently climbed to his feet, sliding the sleeping girl onto the bench, the wall taking over as her pillow. He couldn't help but give her one last smile before leaving the photo booth. Despite their agreement to not be anything more than friends, he was still falling for her faster than he ever thought was possible.

***********

Feeling much more awake now that Tawni and her mom were friends again and the blonde was no longer staying at her house, Sonny decided it was time to see what the big deal was about Chad's private bathroom.

"It's great in there!" Nico told her when she asked her two guy cast mates about it. "At least, I've heard it is, anyway."

He sent a pointed look in Grady's direction.

"He's not kidding!" Grady exclaimed, looking much too excited. "There's a pinball machine, and bowling, and-,"

"Hey, man, don't tell her everything!" Nico cut his friend off. "She's friends with Chad, remember? She'll tell him you've been in there."

Sonny had forgotten the two of them didn't like her hanging out with Chad and thought she was too close to the Mackenzie Falls star. Although she did care what they thought, she wasn't going to stop hanging out with Chad just because of them.

She would just keep her hanging out so it was behind their backs.

Knowing she wasn't going to get any more information from Nico and Grady, Sonny headed over to the Mackenzie Falls set. She was the only Random who didn't have her picture up on the wall of banned people, so the security guard only smiled as he let her through. Chad was nowhere in sight, but she didn't need his help to find the room she was looking for.

There was a black and white poster for Mackenzie Falls on the wall beside the bathroom and Sonny couldn't help but wonder if that was supposed to be cooler than the blue poster everywhere else. The door was huge, split down the middle so there were two separate ones, and each of them had Chad's name on it written on a little gold plate.

Chad Dylan Cooper would need to put his name on his bathroom. He had to be the only person in the world unwilling to share his 'sanctuary' with anyone else.

Sonny had her hand on the door and was about to pull it open, ready to find out the secret behind the private bathroom. Just as her hand began to twist the knob-

"What do you think you're doing?!"

Jumping about a foot in the air, Sonny turned around quickly, letting her back rest against the door as she held her hands out in front of her chest. When she saw it was only Chad walking toward her, not anyone dangerous, she sighed in relief.

"Do I really need to remind you yet again that you said I'm welcome on your set whenever I want to come?" she asked, turning toward the doors again.

"I remember saying that about my set," Chad replied, somehow appearing at her side, slapping back her hands, "But this isn't my set. It's my bathroom."

"I know what room it is."

"Then why are you trying to go in? Didn't I already explain to you how important a bathroom is?"

"I just want to see for myself what's so special about yours."

Chad pushed his body between hers and the doors, spreading out his arms as though he was trying to stop her from even seeing the sight before her eyes.

"Chad, come on," Sonny pleaded. "Is it really that big of a deal if I just take one little glance?"

"Yes, it is."

"Chad."

"Sonny."

"Please?"

"No."

"No?"

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"No."

"No?"

"Sonny."

Her plan wasn't working. She'd been hoping she could get him to slip up at least once and give her permission to enter. Usually he was easy to trick. He must've been at the top of his game today.

It was time to go with plan B: convince Chad to give her what she wanted by acting as cute as she possibly could.

Folding her hands together, making her smile huge, and batting her eyelashes, Sonny stepped closer to Chad, gently letting her shoulder bump into his.

"Chad," she said in her sweet voice, the one she used whenever she wanted something. "Can't I please see the inside of your bathroom? I'll only look for a second, I promise."

She could see him start to falter. His arms folded down a little bit, coming back to his sides, but before she knew was happening, he was shaking his head.

"No," he said firmly. "This room is meant for my eyes only!"

"Alright," Sonny gave in, looking downcast as she turned her eyes to the floor and started to walk away. "If you, the greatest actor of our generation, has said no, then I guess I have to listen."

That was all it took for Chad to change his mind. A nice thing about himself and a sad looking Sonny was the price he needed.

"One look," he called after Sonny and she was all smiles as she turned back to him. "One look is all you get, understand?"

She was back at his side in seconds, her hand on the doorknob again as she tried to pull it open. Chad stopped her.

"You're to stand right where you are," he ordered her. "No going into the bathroom, got it? And I will be the one to open and shut the doors."

"But, I-,"

"Take it or leave it, Sonny."

Sighing, Sonny rolled her eyes.

"Fine, I won't go in or touch the doors," she promised. "Now can I have my look?"

Nodding his head, Chad pulled open the doors.

Sonny was eager to look inside, but the light shining out at her was so bright, she had to shut her eyes. By the time she had them open again, the doors were closing. She'd missed her sneak peek!!

"That wasn't fair!" she protested quickly. "Come on, Chad, give me one last chance!"

"Sorry, but the deal was you got one look," Chad replied, smiling smugly. He put his arm around Sonny's shoulders as he turned her away from the room and started leading her down the hall. "Now, since you're here anyway, I thought maybe you'd enjoy watching a Mackenzie Falls rehearsal? It'll be nice for you to see how real acting is done."

Sonny glanced over her shoulder as Chad pulled her away from the bathroom, feeling more than a little angry. She wanted to be in on the secret, not stuck watching an episode of Mackenzie Falls she had no interest in seeing.

The only good thing that had come from visiting the set was the fact Chad kept his arm around her as they walked. At least she had one good thing to think about during the next few hours she would be held captive on his set.


	20. Episode 20: Cookie Monster

Wow, it has been awhile since I've updated this!! Sorry about that, I've been busy lately and, to be honest, thought this episode was so funny and had so much Channy in it anyway, I couldn't think of much to add. So…..sorry if this sucks. Thank you for all the reviews and favoriting, and for kicking me to get me started on working with this story again!! I'm assuming you've all seen the finale by now (I was screaming at my computer as I watched. Yeah, I am that much of a freak). I will try to add my version of that one up soon, although I still have to decide what exactly Sonny and Chad might've said when Tawni turned off the camera…The world is full of options!!!!!! Once again, thanks everyone and sorry for taking so long!

Disclaimer: I don't own SWAC

Episode 20:

Cookie Monster

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Get Held Back**

Zora could feel her hands slipping as Sonny struggled to pull free from her grasp. Only a few feet away, Dakota had already lost control of her victim. Chad was taking off his jacket, preparing for the fight that was about to happen. Once Sonny realized what the jerk throb was doing, she pulled even more on Zora. It was with reluctance that the younger co-star set her free.

The two smaller girls got out of the way quickly, neither of them wanting to get caught in the middle of the action. Chad waited as Sonny took the time to pull her shoes off her feet. Finally, the stars of Mackenzie Falls and So Random! stood with only inches between them, both of them with glowers on their faces.

"This is your last chance to back down," Chad said, offering Sonny a way out. It wasn't like he wanted to see her get hurt.

"If anyone's backing down, it'll be you," Sonny retorted. "Either give me the thank you I deserve or suffer the consequences."

Chad laughed loudly.

"'Suffer the consequences'?" he repeated. "If any suffering happens in this lunch room, it'll be coming from you, farm girl!"

Calling Sonny a 'farm girl' wasn't the best choice of words Chad could've used. The already mad girl raised her eyebrows at him before showing him two tiny fists. How she expected to hurt him with those weak little muscles of hers was a mystery to him. Why did girls always seem to think they were stronger than they really were?

"Bring it on, pretty boy," Sonny taunted. "Unless, of course, you're too much of a chicken to go through with it."

"We're doing this, Munroe!"

"Then why haven't you come forward yet, Cooper?"

He did take a step forward. Sonny did the same. The space between their bodies was so small, it would've been only too easy for Chad to body-slam the girl before she knew what had happened. Just as he was lifting his hands to do just that, the realization of what was going on hit him.

"Wait a second," he said, holding his hands in front of his chest defensively. "I'm not going to fight you."

There was a smile on Sonny's face as her fists uncurled and her hand lightly tapped Chad's shoulder.

"I'm glad to see you've come to your senses, Chad," she rewarded him. "Since you were smart enough to realize you were wrong before the fight actually started, I'll let that count as your thank you."

"I'm not calling off the fight because I think you're right," Chad scoffed. "I'm only doing it because Chad Dylan Cooper doesn't hit girls."

Sonny could feel her mouth falling open.

"In that case, you still owe me an apology."

"I've never had to apologize for my acting before and I'm not going to do it now. You should be thankful I was kind enough to grace you with my great acting at all!"

"Maybe I would be thankful if I'd really seen some acting. Unfortunately, all I saw was choking."

"Really? You're going there again?"

"I am, and I'm going to keep going there until you admit the truth!"

As the fight showed all signs of starting over again, Zora stepped between the two stars, one hand on each of them as she tried to tear them apart.

"Yelling isn't going to do anything but give me a headache!" she exclaimed, needing to shout in order to be heard over Sonny and Chad. "You two need a better way to solve this problem, and if you won't fight each other, there has to be another way."

"How about we all admit I'm right and forget any of this ever happened?" Chad suggested.

"How about you just tell the truth for the first time in your life?" Sonny shot back before giving him a sad look. "Oh wait…Sorry, I forgot Chad Dylan Cooper is incapable of ever telling the truth. Is that why your parents signed you up for acting? So you could always lie to the world by making them think you're as sweet as your character?"

Despite the loud arguing going on over her head, Zora was still able to come up with a solution to the problem. Sonny thought she was right; Chad thought he was right. They would never agree on an answer-

Until they had the fight they were having now in front of a judge.

"You both have the right to remain silent," Zora cut through the two voices again, this time receiving confused glances as a response. "Anything you say can and will be used against you in court!"

"Court?" Sonny and Chad asked in unison, glaring at each other before turning their attention back to Zora.

"That's right!" The youngest Random turned to Dakota. "You and I will be witnesses since we were both here at the scene of the crime. Sonny, Chad, you should start looking for people to defend you. Court starts tomorrow morning in the Prop House at 10:00 sharp!"

"That's a crazy idea," Sonny started to protest.

"Like I'd really go into the Prop House just because you told me to," Chad said at the same time.

Not wanting to sit through yet another fight, Zora silenced the two teens by saying only four words:

"I said 10:00 sharp!"

Without another word, she stalked out of the room. Sonny turned to Chad, wanting to see if he could believe what they were being made to do. She almost burst out laughing when she saw the grimace on Chad's face as Dakota clung to his arm, batting her eyelashes at him.

"It sounds like we have a date tomorrow," she said in that cute little tone she could use when 1. She was talking to Chad, or 2. She wanted something. Giving the blonde a sweet smile, she lowered her voice. "Make sure you wear something hot!"

It was impossible to not see the shiver Chad gave as the nine year old skipped happily away. Sonny was starting to giggle when he pointed a warning finger at her.

"I wouldn't be laughing just yet," he said. "You'll be crying by the time our court session is over and I'm declared the winner."

All traces of her smile were gone as Sonny shook her head.

"You must have a great defender in mind if you think you're going to win," she informed Chad. "Otherwise, you don't have a chance."

"We'll see about that, won't we?"

"I guess we will."

"So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow morning at 10:00 sharp, Munroe?"

"Only if you wake up early enough, Cooper."

"That won't be a problem. I'll just watch a few episodes of So Random! I'm sure that'll help me fall asleep at a decent hour!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Good!"

"Good!"

During the fight, at it always seemed to happen, Sonny and Chad ended up inching closer and closer together. By the time they were done shouting, they were face-to-face, only millimeters left between their bodies. Standing so close to him, Sonny realized for the first time a strange smell about Chad she hadn't noticed before.

"Why do you smell like - like…" She paused, trying to think of the right word. "Strawberries, flowers, bubble bath, chocolate, pink stuff, jewelry-," Leaning in, she took a deep breath. "And a pair of dirty socks?"

Chad nervously took several steps backwards.

"I - I have no idea what you're talking about."

Sonny stepped toward him, her nose still in the air. She wasn't saying Chad smelled bad; actually, she'd never smelled a greater aroma in her entire lifetime. But she had smelled this one before, somewhere or another. She just couldn't place where…

The fragrance grew two times sweeter as someone else entered the room. Spinning on her heels, Sonny needed to find out where it was coming from, who was responsible for the sweet, sweet scent.

When she caught sight of Nico and Grady, it all suddenly made sense.

"You're wearing Girldozer," she accused, turning to Chad again. "How did you get any of it away from Nico and Grady?"

"We gave him what was left after you and Zora sprayed the cookies," Grady answered in place of Chad.

"That we did," Nico confirmed, "And we got pretty rich from it, too!"

Sonny was more than a little confused.

"I thought you guys were mad at Chad for him spending so much time with me? Why would you help him out then?"

"We're not mad at him," Grady replied.

"How could we be mad at someone who pays $95 for half a bottle of Girldozer?!" Nico said with a laugh, slapping Grady some sort of high-five.

"Look, I only paid you for it because girls were chasing you around everywhere," Chad tried to defend his actions. "I already have that happen every day, but I thought maybe your stupid invention might help speed things along. So far, it's working."

To prove his point, Chad stepped closer to Sonny again, bending down so he could waft all the Girldozer in her direction. As he hoped, a dreamy look crossed over her face.

"Wouldn't you say so, Sonny?"

She was unable to answer due to sightedness, her fingers clutching at Chad's jacket, the only thing keeping her from falling to the ground. Smiling cockily, Chad gently moved Sonny's fingers, handing her over to her cast mates.

"That's what I thought," he said, still smiling. "I'll see you Randoms tomorrow morning."

He left the lunch room knowing there was work to do. Apparently, he had to find someone to defend him in court.

* * *

The Prop House looked nothing like how he remembered it when Chad walked in the following morning. The couch that normally sat in the middle of the floor was gone, as was the table usually in front of it. Instead of the two pieces of furniture, a podium faced the doorway, Nico standing behind it, a gavel in his hands and a wig over his bald head. Grady stood beside him, a blue police outfit on with a bright gold badge shining off his chest.

"What, exactly, are you two dressed up as?" Chad asked, suppressing a laugh. "If there's a sketch forcing you to wear clothes as dumb as those, you'd be better off just skipping work that day."

"Silence!" Grady bellowed, putting his face into that of the three named star. "Judge Nico doesn't like being made fun of!"

Chad could feel his mouth beginning to open in surprise.

"'Judge Nico'?" he repeated. "Who are you supposed to be? Bailiff Grady?"

"That's Mr. Bailiff Grady to you! Now, please take a seat while we wait for the rest of the court to show up."

"The rest of the court?" Chad really was confused now. "What are you talking about, all we need is Sonny and - wow."

A whole crowd of people were walking in the door, all of them actors at Condor Studios. They didn't come from the same show; oh no, that would've made things too easy. Some were from Meal or No Meal, others Teen Gladiator, and even a few from Mackenzie Falls. They all took a seat on the floor, ready to take on their role of the jury.

Zora and Dakota were the next to enter, taking their places in two chairs to the side of Judge Nico. Right away Dakota spotted Chad and waved, but he pretended not to see her. It wasn't a hard task to fake. He almost didn't notice the little girl at all when Sonny walked into the room.

Sonny didn't seem surprised at all by the Prop House's redecoration, which told Chad one thing: she had known all along her friends were taking over the court.

"You're cheating," he told her, leaning close so not every ear in the room would hear.

"The hearing hasn't even began yet," Sonny protested. "How can I be cheating?"

"You knew Nico was going to be the judge," Chad replied. "He's a member of your cast. He's going to show you favoritism!"

"I declare this order of the court in session!" Nico shouted, pounding his gavel against his podium. He turned his attention to Sonny and Chad. "Where are the people representing you?"

"There's no reason to worry, everyone. Tawni has arrived!"

The only Random not in the room yet strolled in, taking her place beside Chad. It hadn't been hard to convince her to appear in court. All Chad had to do was say the words, "I need to prove Sonny wrong," and the blonde had jumped at the chance. Hiring her was worth it just to see the appalled look on Sonny's face.

"Who's cheating now?!" she asked me before turning to Nico. "I object! He can't use my cast mate against me!"

"Objection over-ruled," Nico declared. "There were no rules set and Mr. Cooper was allowed to ask whomever he wanted to. Please bring out your defender at this time, Miss. Munroe."

Pouting in her disappointment, Sonny smiled again when she turned to Tawni and Chad.

"I picked someone who has seen Chad's acting first hand," she stated proudly. "I take it you both remember Mr. Conroy?"

Without any further introduction, James Conroy entered the room, the grin on his face only too wide as he stood next to Sonny. She returned the smile and this time, Chad was the one to turn to Nico.

"I object! She can't ask James to defend her!"

"Once again, objection over-ruled," Nico said. He smiled in Tawni's direction. "Miss. Hart, would you mind coming forward and explaining why your client is here?"

Tawni did as she was asked. She took a few steps ahead of me, tossed her hair over her shoulder, and spoke in a clear voice.

"My client is here today after being accused of choking on a cookie yesterday and not giving the person who saved him any thanks," she started. "I ask you ladies and gentlemen of the jury, why should he have to give thanks when he was only acting in the first place?!"

James stepped forward until he was directly across from Tawni.

"My client feels she still deserves her thank you," he stated. "Chad Dylan Cooper, as the worst actor of our generation, couldn't have pulled off such a convincing show." He turned to look at Sonny. "Did I say everything correctly?"

"You only missed the part about him being too much of jerk to ever give me the apology even though he knows he's wrong deep down," she replied.

"Yeah," James said as he turned back to Nico. "What she said, too."

"Objection!" Chad shouted, his eyes on Sonny. "You can't tell him exactly what to say! You're just using him as a puppet!"

"At least I didn't pick someone who hates you," Sonny shot back.

"That isn't why I picked Tawni! I just wanted to-,"

"Order in the court, order in the court!"

No one was listening to Nico by this point. Sonny and Chad were too busy fighting, Tawni was filing her nails, and James was staring around the room like he had no idea what he was doing there. When Zora and Dakota jumped up at the same time to tell their witness accounts, they ended up fighting, just as they did every time they saw each other. The jury climbed to their feet, cheering on the two girls as Nico and Grady tried to get the room calmed down again.

Chad stared at Sonny. Sonny nodded her head. Together, the two of them went into the hallway, no one noticing their absence.

"I really didn't mean to let things get so carried away," Sonny apologized once everyone was out of earshot. "It doesn't matter to me if you were acting or not. The important thing is, you're still alive and-,"

"Thank you."

His voice was so soft that Sonny almost didn't hear it at first. Her own voice about plowed over it, but at the last second, she was able to shut up just in time. Chad Dylan Cooper was actually giving in?

Both his hands shoved into the pockets of his pants, his head staring at nothing but the floor, Chad refused to meet the brown eyes he could feel on him. Instead, he started walking again (for some reason, they'd both come to a stop).

"Well, now that all this nonsense is over, I should get back to my set," he explained. "We don't waste all day messing around over at the Falls. I have actual work to get done today."

He started to walk away, stopping only when he heard a soft voice say his name.

"Chad? Just in case you really were acting yesterday and only said thanks to make me feel better…How did you find out I'd never become a Blossom Scout?"

Chad's smile was too big as he faced her.

"You should learn to keep your dressing room door shut when having private conversations."

Sonny wasn't quite sure what to think as she watched Chad walk away. Inside, the little voice who warned her over and over again every day to stay in the 'just friends' area with Chad had finally fallen silent. He cared enough about her to eavesdrop (even if she should've been mad at it) and had reached down inside and said thank you for her sake. Maybe he wasn't as much as a jerk as she thought he was.

Maybe it was time to put his sweet attitude to the test. Were they finally ready to let their secret crushes be known?


	21. Episode 21: Sonny: So Far

This story is finally over!! There's a longer note at the end of it so I won't waste a lot of your time right now. Thank you so much for your reviews and favorting! This story has been a lot of fun to write for you guys, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. You all deserve the reindeer cookies I'm going to be baking soon (hmm…If I can find a way to send them through the computer, I will, ok?). Seriously though, you guys are all great!

Disclaimer: If I owned SWAC…I don't know what I would have happen, really. I guess it's a good thing everything's owned by Disney!

Episode 21:

Sonny: So Far

**Chad Dylan Cooper Will Never Admit His True Feelings To a Girl**

As was the custom after every taping of So Random!, Sonny and Tawni planned on meeting up with Grady, Nico, and Zora after their appearance on Got'cha! and going out for ice cream. It wasn't only the two actresses making their way toward the rest of the cast once the final credits rolled. For some reason, Chad tagged along as well.

Tawni felt confused as she kept glancing over her shoulder at the two supposedly feuding stars. Of course she knew Sonny and Chad didn't really spend all their time fighting because they hated each other; she, along with everyone else at Condor Studios, could tell the two teens were really flirting. Seeing the footage Gilroy showed though, watching the chemistry during a moment Sonny and Chad had been alone and able to show their real selves-

Let's just say that the tween queen had no idea how close Sonny had gotten to the enemy since her arrival in Hollywood.

The same way it wasn't a secret about Sonny and Chad, most people knew how much Tawni wanted to be the main star of So Random! again. If Sonny ever started dating the Mackenzie Falls actor, it could be exactly what Tawni needed to get what she wanted. It would be so easy to convince Sonny she should be on the drama instead (she might even be the one to suggest it, wanting to spend more time with her boyfriend). Tawni Hart would become the star she'd always wanted to be.

Pushing Sonny into Chad's arms sounded like a pretty good plan to Tawni as she walked ahead of the couple who was laughing behind her (a good enough plan to bring an evil smile to her lips as she started to think of ways to force the two forbidden lovers together), but it wasn't long before her smile faded. Would it be fair for Sonny to get Chad in the end? He was one of the day's greatest actors, not to mention one of the highest popularized male among tween girls. There was also the fact that he was Tawni's ex (even if she had only been six at the time, she still counted it as a relationship). What was she saying by handing him over to Sonny? Would she be giving up her own spotlight so some newbie from Wisconsin could steal it?

For all Tawni knew, Sonny and Chad hadn't admitted to liking each other. She had turned off the camera before hearing what they had said to each other, and when they came back to the stage and faced Gilroy, both of them kept their mouths shut about anything that had taken place in their conversation. All Tawni could do was hope the rest of her cast had managed to see the interview. She was anxious to know what they thought about the secret moment Sonny had somehow forgotten to tell them about.

Spotting the other three members of her cast before Sonny and Chad, Tawni turned to face the happy couple, laughing along with them like she'd been listening the entire time and had heard whatever joke they were laughing about. When their laughter died down and two sets of eyes stared at her, she slapped Sonny's shoulder.

"You," she said, still laughing loudly, "Are way too hilarious! I think I need a break from laughing so much. Why don't you two wait here while I go take a breather?"

"Um…ok," Sonny agreed, her words coming out more so as a question than a statement.

Tawni kept laughing as she walked away from Sonny and Chad (the two of them exchanged glances as they watched her leave), not stopping until she was standing with her other cast mates.

"Hey, Tawni! Are you and Sonny ready to-,"

Grady didn't get to finish his greeting before the blonde girl pushed him, Nico, and Zora behind a corner, sneaking a look over her shoulder as she did so, like she thought maybe someone was watching her. The other three protested loudly until Tawni slapped each of them in turn, warning them to be quiet.

"I need to talk to you guys without Sonny or Chad overhearing me," she informed the small group. "Please tell me you watched the show the three of us were just on."

"How many times are you going to make us tell you?" Nico sighed as he shook his head. "We were sitting in the audience the whole time."

"Sorry. Sometimes I forget things that don't have the word Tawni in them." Not giving anyone else a chance to speak, Tawni leaned in closer, lowering her voice. "Did you guys notice that super sweet moment between our newest cast member and our oldest enemy?"

"You mean the part where the lights went out and the two of them stared into each other's eyes and they talked about how even a bowl of egg salad will never be enough to end the cold blood between our two shows?"

The other three stepped away as a dreamy expression crossed Grady's face.

"What were you saying, Tawn?" Nico changed the topic.

"What? Oh yeah, I almost forgot! I was saying that we can't let another moment like that happen between the two of them again," Tawni replied. "I don't know what Sonny and Chad said to each other while they were backstage, but I have a feeling it was something a little bit too good. It's up to the four of us to break them up before anything really happens."

It was Grady who, finally snapping out of his trance, seemed appalled by Tawni's words.

"Why do we have to put a stop to them?" he whined. "If they both like each other, shouldn't we leave them alone?"

"Don't you remember the last time Sonny left us for Mackenzie Falls? We were miserable without her," Tawni explained, looking from face to face to face. "We had to dress up in those stupid super-hero costumes and-,"

"And you experienced trusting," Zora added on.

"Don't forget caring!" Nico and Grady said in one voice.

"The minor details are hard for me to remember," Tawni shrugged. "The point is, what if Sonny and Chad really do like each other? What if Chad convinces her to stay on Mackenzie Falls and leave So Random! behind? Not only will our ratings fall, but we won't be able to get her back this time. Not even dressing up as lame superheroes will beat spending the day with her boyfriend."

Tawni was proud she had that excuse to fall back on. The last thing she wanted to do was admit her real reason for wanting to push Sonny and Chad apart was because she didn't want Sonny to have things better than her. Using the shows as her reason didn't make her sound as zealous as she felt inside.

Her excuse seemed to fly fine with her cast mates. The boys thought over her reasons as Zora started jumping up and down in excitement.

"Let's go with Tawni's plan, let's go with Tawni's plan!" she chanted.

"Why are you so eager to break Sonny and Chad up?" Nico asked, placing his hand on Zora's head, holding her down so she could no longer take her feet off the ground. "You're afraid she might leave us for the Falls?"

"No," Zora answered, shaking her head the best she could with Nico's hand there. "I still haven't had a chance to use my hatchet! This would be the perfect opportunity!"

"Actually, I was thinking more so we do it tonight, while we eat ice cream," Tawni said nervously, hoping Zora hadn't somehow managed to stuff her hatchet into her pocket. "I thought maybe the four of us could work together to scare the two of them into not having feelings for each other."

"How are we going to do that?" Grady asked, sounding confused.

"I don't know," Tawni shot back, rolling her eyes. "I'm the pretty one; you can't expect me to do all the work here!"

Nico held his hands in front of his chest, stopping whatever words were about to leave Grady's mouth.

"For the record, I don't believe breaking up our two friends is moral in any way, shape, or form, and if we get found out, I'm putting the blame on you guys," he said before breaking into a smile. "With that said, let's start brainstorming ways to do this!"

All four members of the So Random! cast put their heads together, their soft voices blending as they put their brains to work. It wasn't long before they devised a plan they believed to be perfect. If everything went the way they hoped, Sonny would never dream about leaving their cast and Chad wouldn't ever want to join them for ice cream again.

When they finally met up with the couple in jeopardy, Sonny smiled at them, having no idea the conversation that had just taken place.

"Hey, guys!" she greeted her cast happily. "Is it alright that I invited Chad out for ice cream with us? I told him you guys wouldn't mind if he tagged along for one night."

Nico walked over until he was standing between Sonny and Chad, having to push them apart to reach his destination. He put an arm around each of their shoulders, but Chad was the one he turned his smile to.

"Of course we don't mind an extra guest," he said, giving the Mackenzie Falls star an extra tap to the chest. "Actually, we'd love to have you tag along, Chad. We'd all enjoy your company more than you know."

Neither Sonny nor Chad understood Nico's strange behavior, but when Sonny shrugged her shoulders, Chad decided to forget about it. If Sonny wasn't worried, why should he be?

It didn't take Sonny long to figure out why Nico couldn't stop smiling, Grady kept acting nervous, Zora was jumping around, and Tawni kept by Chad's side every second: they were all making sure she didn't get too close to Chad. Although she appreciated the gesture, Sonny was tempted to tell her cast to back off. She was capable of knowing whether or not Chad was the type of person she should be friends with or not. Really she didn't need everyone keeping such a close eye on her.

The ice cream shop was only a short walk away and once the group of six arrived, it was less than five minutes before they all sat in one booth, ice cream in their hands. For some reason, the Randoms handed an entire bench of the table over to Sonny and Chad, Nico, Grady, and Tawni facing them, Zora pulling up an extra chair. Only after Sonny placed her spoon in her mouth, taking her first bite of ice cream, did Zora decide to speak up.

"So, have you two kissed yet?!"

Nearly chocking on her food, Sonny pulled the spoon out of her mouth before it had a chance to become lodged in her throat. Beside her, Chad started laughing nervously.

"I really don't think kissing is proper table conversation," he said, desperately wanting to change the topic.

"So you're saying the kiss was so bad you don't want to talk about it?" Zora nodded her head as though she knew exactly what Chad was talking about. "I totally understand. Back when I was dating Holloway, I refused to ever let him kiss me. I mean, even if it was just a simple hand kiss, he left his slobber everywhere! It was dating a st. Bernard!"

"Now, Zora, I'm sure Sonny and Chad don't want to hear about your romance problems," Tawni scolded the younger girl. "You and Holloway don't even talk anymore, do you? A lot of romances end that way. The happy couple think they can solve all their problems by dating, but really, all they do is create even more."

"I heard the same thing," Nico chimed in. "Some people spend months and months hating each other to cover a crush they've been trying to hide from each other. Most of the time, it ends up better if they just keep the crush a secret. Hating is better than never talking, which would be what happened if they decided to break and the fighting didn't stop."

Three heads turned expectantly to Grady.

"I like pie," he stated, cracking under the pressure.

Chad shook his head as he climbed to his feet, leaving his barely touched dish of ice cream behind.

"Well, I think it's pretty obvious what you're trying to tell me," he said, already heading toward the exit. "Chad Dylan Cooper can take a hint."

Sonny started to follow after him, but Zora moved her chair, blocking Sonny from leaving the booth.

"Wait!" She sat on her knees so she could see the blonde actor over Zora's head. "Chad, you don't have to go! They came up with all these lines beforehand, they're trying to-,"

"Keep us apart," he finished for her. "I know what they're trying to do, Sonny. Maybe there's a reason they're trying so hard. Maybe there's a reason we haven't been together all this time."

This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. Not now, not tonight, not after the conversation that had taken place backstage at Got'cha! Chad couldn't just walk away after everything simply because the Randoms told him to. He'd never listened to them before. Why should he do it now?

"Chad?" Sonny's voice was small.

"Thanks for letting me come out with you tonight," Chad said, looking at all five faces in turn. "I'll catch you later."

He turned to leave, the cast started exclaiming over their victory, and Sonny was the only one who watched the three-named jerk throb as he headed toward the door. He pushed it open with his back, letting his eyes swirl in the table's direction one last time-

Sending a wink that left Sonny breathless despite what had just happened.

There were a lot of things Chad Dylan Cooper led people to believe he would never do. To the public and anyone working at Condor Studios, he wanted his image to be a lot tougher than the nice person under his exterior. Sonny Munroe was the only one who could make him break each and every one of his own rules. She was the exception to everything, including unlocking his heart. No other girl had such a strong hold on him as she did; no one else knew which key was the right one to use. But Sonny knew the secret and she didn't plan on ever forgetting it.

Whether everyone was fighting against them or not, Sonny wasn't giving up her spot as Chad's exception.

Author's Note: It was way too hard to come up with what Sonny and Chad actually said to each other (in my head, I think they either admitted to liking each other or 'having feelings' for each other). Sorry, but just like me, you're going to have to wait until season 2 to find out what happens next. Since this story is following the show the best I can make it do, I didn't want to add in anything that could take it the opposite direction as what Disney wants to go. So I left it open: the So Random! Cast could be jealous, Sonny and Chad may have a relationship they let go public, or a secret love could blossom. The story is open either way so, judging on my schedule once the new season starts, where it goes, and your reactions to this story, there may be one for the next season as well. Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this!!

In you reviews this time, does anyone want to share what they think really happened in the season finale?


	22. Episode 22: Walk A Mile In My Pants

It's been forever since I've been able to work on this story. Disney channel just kept pushing back the air date of season two, and then pushing it back again, and pushing it back again…I was about ready to go hunt down whoever their scheduler was and demand swac if they didn't air it soon!! Haha…I am just kidding. I did miss talking to you guys though. How have you been since the season finale? Keeping busy, I hope. And having fun. And not obsessing over this show as much as I found myself doing. If you haven't seen the first episode of the second season yet, please don't read this chapter until you have. I really don't want to spoil anything for you guys!!

Disclaimer: I still own nothing, although I wish I could buy a pair of Tawni's Extreme Skinny Jeans!!

Episode 22:

Walk A Mile In My Pants

**Chad Dylan Cooper Always Dresses Himself**

The So Random cast had calmed down since the night Tawni and Sonny had guest-starred on Gilroy's show. After scaring the jerk throb out of the ice cream shop the night they'd invited him to tag along with them, they seemed to believe they had won the battle and there was no way Chad and Sonny were going to become anything more than friends now that Chad knew the entire cast was against him. Sonny let them think whatever they wanted to think. As long as she could talk to Chad without her friends interrogating her the entire time, she was happy.

And Chad, despite what had happened backstage at Gilroy's show (a secret they agreed not to share with anyone), was still the same old Chad Dylan Cooper. Sonny was full of her usual pep and vigor when she pranced up to the Mackenzie Falls star, ready to tell him all about her Walk-A-Thon for books-

He was just as happy to tell her about the Walk-A-Thon she had inspired him to have against books.

As it normally happened between the two Hollywood stars, a fight broke out between them. Sonny became even more determined than she had been before to raise money, knowing she had to earn more than Chad if she was ever going to live it down. Chad, on the other hand, wasn't worried at all. His show was still number one and he was much more popular than the brunette. It would be easy to convince people books were bad.

It would be even easier to beat Sonny if his cast looked hotter than hers. The second Chad saw the Randoms actually looking hot, he knew something had to be done about it. What was a better solution than to buy the same jeans they were wearing?

Only one person didn't like his plan, telling Tawni that he shouldn't be allowed to use the pants for "evil". Chad got back at Sonny for calling him the E word. No one made fun of Chad Dylan Cooper!

"That's what people who don't look hot say," he informed Sonny, giving her a cocky smile.

"You know what, Chad?" Sonny retorted after glaring at him. "In case you haven't noticed, you're not the only person working at this studio. There are other hot people here besides you!"

His first instinct was to nod toward the table his cast was sitting at, explaining to Sonny his cast consisted of hot people as well, but a different idea started to form once her words fully sank in.

"What are you smirking about?" Sonny demanded, her eyes narrowing. "I just insulted you and you're laughing about it?"

"Actually, Sonny, you only tried to insult me," Chad protested. "In reality, you admitted I'm hot."

The Random let her mouth fall open in shock, her words running together as she tried to deny it. Her eyes turned toward the ceiling as she replayed the conversation in her head. After several long seconds, her eyes locked with Chad's, the blush on her face only too clear.

"Oh, you thought I meant you were hot?" she asked, laughing nervously, her voice in the high-pitched tone she used whenever lying. "You misunderstood what I was trying to say. You see, when I said there are other hot people here besides you, I wasn't talking about you you. I meant you in a general form. So really I was saying there are hotter people than…" She paused as Chad stared down at her, utterly confused. "Actually, 'you' is the nickname I gave to…Marshall."

Chad cocked his side slightly as he repeated, "Marshall? Isn't he your director?" When Sonny nodded, he pressed on. "Wow, you really do do things differently over at So Random than we do at the Falls. We have the decently to call our director by his name instead of 'you'."

Before Sonny had a chance to say another word, the three-named jerk throb went on.

"And not under any circumstances do we EVER call our director hot!" His tongue stuck out like he'd just envisioned the worse thing possible. It reminded Sonny of his face right after kissing the pig when he had guest-starred on her show. "Couldn't you just have admitted you were talking about me instead of making me think about your director?!"

Sonny was all smiley again as she leaned closer to Chad, looking around like she wanted to make sure no one else could hear her. Too bad they were standing in the middle of the crowded commissary and had no privacy whatsoever.

"I hate to tell you this, Chad, but I really wasn't talking about you," she said, lowering her voice before going on. "Marshall is ten times as hot as you'll ever be."

Horrified with the way the conversation had turned out, Chad didn't say another word, heading back to his cast mates before Sonny could traumatize him again. Smirking over her success, Sonny went to find her own cast mates.

She loved being smarter than Chad.

* * *

"I paid a lot of money for these pants, people!" Chad reminded his cast as Josh left their stage, leaving behind a box full of Tawni's skinny jeans. "I want to see everyone wearing them within the next five minutes. We can't let the Randoms go on looking hotter than us!"

Each person mumbled their consent. Skylar (known as Devon on the show) handed out the pants to each person in turn and then they all went to their separate dressing rooms. Chad closed his door tightly, checking the hallway just to be sure no one was coming. The last thing he needed was someone to see a little bit too much of their favorite television star's body.

Chad thought it would be easy to put on Tawni's pants. He didn't wear skinny jeans very often (most of the time, girls were the ones who enjoyed the style and Chad Dylan Cooper was no lady!!), but the few times he had, the material had slid onto his legs fairly easily. As he tried to pull the new jeans to the correct spot on his waistline, they didn't want to come all the way up. Had he put on weight?

_what am I thinking? Of course I haven't put on weight!_ he punished himself for even thinking something so stupid. _Maybe that stupid Jeff gave me the wrong size._

Pulling the jeans down long enough to get a glimpse at the tag, Chad was surprised at the numbers he saw. The pants were the right size. Why couldn't he get them to fit then?

Just as he was pulling them up to try snapping the button one last time-

"Chad, open up this door right now!!"

There was only one person at Condor Studios who dared to order CDC around: Sonny Munroe.

"I know you're in there!" the brunette persisted when she didn't get an answer. "If you don't open up this door, I'm going to come in anyway!"

"I'm a little bit busy right now, Munroe," Chad called back, still struggling to get on his jeans.

"Too busy to talk about this?!"

There wasn't anything Chad could do to stop the door from swinging open. He stood there, trying to hide whatever wasn't hidden already, his eyes widening as they stared at Sonny.

The brunette, her hand still on the doorknob with a clutch tight enough to turn her knuckles white, wasn't interested in meeting Chad's gaze as she focused on something else.

"I - I was just…"

"Apologizing for coming in my room without permission?" Chad finished her sentence. "If you're going to stand there and gawk, could you at least close my door? I kind of don't want everyone to see me right now."

Sonny did as she was asked to do. Nodding her head, she let the door softly click shut-

Only instead of crossing over into the hallway, she stayed in Chad's room.

"When I asked you to close my door, I meant with you outside of it," Chad clarified.

"Why should I have to wait outside? It's not like you're standing around in your underwear." Both their faces reddened at the last word Sonny said. "All you have left to do is…well…you know."

For some reason, she couldn't get her mouth to form the words, 'zip up'. There was just something about being in Chad's dressing room, alone with her rival, talking about pants…

Something was definitely awkward about the whole situation.

Just their luck, Chad was about to make everything worse than it already was.

"I know how to put on a pair of pants, Munroe," he barked before struggling with the material again, willing it to come together. But of course, as always when Sonny was around, nothing could be that easy. "I'm just having a slight problem…The jeans are a little bit tighter than I'd thought they would be."

Sonny cleared her throat nervously.

"That's why each pair comes with a butt horn," she reminded the blonde actor. "It's not like you'd be the first person to have to use one…Grady needed to use it to get his pants on."

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious," Chad replied sarcastically, motioning toward the place his butt horn sat, Tawni's face smiling at the Hollywood stars. "I thought about using that thing ages ago. It's just…it's kind of hard to use by myself."

Sonny knew exactly what Chad was talking about. Although she'd gotten her jeans on without needing to use Tawni's device, she'd seen Grady use it. Nico had had to help him and it seemed to be a two person job, nearly impossible to do with only one person unless they were great at gymnastics and could reach behind themselves to do it.

Chad's specialty was acting, not gymnastics.

"I could help you." Sonny's voice was small as she took a tiny step into the room, barely shuffling her feet. "If you wanted me to, I mean."

No, Chad didn't want Sonny helping him fit into his pants. There was such as thing as being too _personal_ with someone.

Then again, he did need the pants on if he was going to look hot at his Walk-A-Thon against books…

"If you tell anyone about this," he threatened, extending the butt horn toward the Random, "I swear, I will have you packed and sent back home to Wisconsin before you can say-,"

"Don't worry about me telling," Sonny cut him off, stepping behind his body and out of his sight. "Like I really want the entire world to know I was this close to your butt."

"You should feel honored to be as close as you are."

"You should shut up so we can get this over with. On the count of three."

"Don't tell me what to do. Maybe I don't feel like shutting up."

"One."

"Really, Sonny? Really? Why count all the way to three when you could just do it and have it over with? Somebody's enjoying the view a little too much."

"Keep making fun of me and I'm not going to help you, Cooper."

"Because you're doing so much to help right now."

"I'll have you know that-," Sonny was cut short when Chad turned around, his body now facing hers. "Look, if you're not even going to cooperate enough to stay turned around, then I can't-,"

She shut up when Chad took the butt horn from her fingers.

"You already did help me," he explained, smiling for the first time since Sonny had entered the room. "Being able to fight with you and get rid of some of my anger must've been exactly what I needed to finish putting my pants on."

"Well, in that case," Sonny replied, returning his smile, "I'm glad I could help."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the room as Sonny and Chad avoided each other's eyes. Chad wasn't sure what to say. He wanted to kick Sonny out of the room after everything that had just happened (not to mention everything she'd just seen), but another part of him told him the worst part was over. Sonny thought about leaving and going back to her set, but the silence had gone on long enough that it would be weird to simply say goodbye and walk off.

"Chad!" a voice cried from the other side of the dressing room door. "We need you out here! Some of us are having problems getting on our pants!"

It was exactly the excuse the rivals needed.

"I should be getting back to my set before everyone starts to wonder where I am," Sonny said quickly.

"I have to get my cast ready for our Walk-A-Thon," Chad said, his voice just as fast. "Of course you remember about my Walk-A-Thon, don't you?"

"You mean the fundraiser you're throwing to raise money for…What, exactly, are you planning on doing with whatever money you happen to get?" Sonny pretended to sound curious. "It must be something good if you're willing to put your name on whatever happens to the cash. Maybe you're donating it to a charity that will help kids who have poor eyesight?"

"Why would I give my money to a charity like that?" Chad asked, feeling confused.

"Too much TV can ruin someone's eyes after awhile. If you're getting rid of books so all kids have left are televisions and computer screens and video games, I'm sure the youth are going to have a lot more seeing problems than they do now."

Chad held opened his dressing room door.

"Out," he stated firmly.

"Alright, alright. I'm leaving." The brunette was in the hallway, her back turned to Chad as she began to head toward So Random's set.

"Hey, Sonny?" Her feet stopped the second she heard Chad's voice. "What did you want to talk to me about anyway? Before we got…distracted?"

Sonny's brow furrowed as she tried to think of the right answer.

"I have no idea."

Author's Note: Who else is mad Disney didn't tell us what Sonny and Chad said to each other backstage at Gilroy's show?! I guess I was half expecting them to never tell us…they do seem to have a habit of dropping issues like that and not bring them up again. Ah well. At least we finally got the first episode of season two!!

So, what do you guys think? Would you like me to continue this story or should I just leave it after season one? Let me know when you review!!

Oh yeah, don't forget to let me know what your favorite part of the real episode was!! My personal favorite was in the hospital where we got our first real glimpse of Channy for 2010. Anyone else care to share?


	23. Episode 23: Sonny Get Your Goat

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS EPISODE!!!! WHY ARE SONNY AND TAWNI FIGHTING? WHY WAS CHAD NOT IN THE COMMISSARY TO SEE THE HAPPY DANCE BETWEEN SONNY, DINKA, AND MARSHALL? WHY AM I ASKING YOU ALL THESE QUESTIONS INSTEAD OF WRITING AN ANGRY LETTER TO DISNEY CHANNEL?? Oh yeah, because I have a chance of getting answers from you guys. :D

Disclaimer: I am going to find a way to visit Glandovia so I can buy the goat that was trying to eat Tawni's stuff. Not only was it cute, but it was able to call Sonny!! That is one talented animal!! P.S. I own nothing.

Episode 23:

Sonny, Get Your Goat

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Allow Randoms On His Private Jet**

It was time to leave Glandovia and all of its weirdness behind for the comfort and familiarity of Hollywood. Chad would've loved to say his stay in the foreign country had been fun, but he couldn't even do that without lying. His limo was only a man who he was supposed to sit on the back of, the hotel he stayed at wasn't even close to five stars, and the smell of goats was everywhere. EVERYWHERE. There was no escaping the horrible stench and it made Chad wonder how Sonny had been able to stand living on a farm her entire life.

Sonny, he thought, scowling at the name. He knew she and Tawni were absent from Condor Studios before leaving for Glandovia, but he hadn't known that's where the two of them were. He tried to ignore them. The last thing he needed was to come home and find articles in Tween Weekly about how he'd taken a vacation with the Randoms and therefore he must be friends with them. Sonny and Tawni weren't his friends (well, maybe one of them was, although Tween Weekly didn't need to know that) and he wasn't on vacation with either of them.

He, Chad Dylan Cooper, had been asked to fly out to Glandovia alone. Chad Dylan Cooper called for his private jet and traveled to Glandovia alone. Chad Dylan Cooper went to his autograph signing and commercial filming alone. Chad Dylan Cooper was in no way associated with Sonny and Tawni.

Until night fell and he was trying to sleep, anyway.

It turned out the other Condor Studios stars were only one hotel room away from Chad. That wouldn't have been a problem - if the girls knew how to keep their mouths shut, that is. All night long, all he could hear were the shouts of the two girls as they fought. Even burying his head under his pillow didn't block out the noise.

"Check it out! I thought we were done fighting," Sonny's voice called out in the extremely annoying tone of her Check it Out character.

"Check it out," Tawni replied, using the same tone. "We were done fighting until you decided to stick a knife in my back!"

"How did I stick a knife in your back?" Sonny demanded.

"Don't play all innocent with me, Sonny. I know you called Marshall today!"

"Why do you care if I called Marshall?"

"I care that you called Marshall because you didn't tell me you called him. That means you were talking about something you don't want me to know about!"

"No, it means you were busy while I was on the phone. Why would I be talking to Marshall about something I didn't want you finding out?"

"Obviously you wanted me gone while you were talking to him because the two of you were talking about…about…" There was a long pause. "You were telling him the Glandovians said you're the number one Check it Out girl, weren't you?! That way, when we get back, you'll get tons of special treatments!"

"Why would I want special treatments? Look, Tawni, I only called Marshall because I wanted to make sure Dinka was planning on leaving the studio tomorrow so we can go back."

"Check it out! I'm leaving tonight so I can get back before you do and tell Marshall the truth about what the Glandovians said!"

"Check it out! Good luck leaving now when our flight doesn't take off until the morning!"

"Check it out!" Chad exclaimed, mimicking their voices. "Both of you better shut up so Chad Dylan Cooper can get some sleep!"

His shout worked. Sonny and Tawni shut up, Chad got the little bit of sleep he could (it was hard to keep his eyes shut once a goat wandered into his room, bringing the stench closer to his nostrils), and then, before the sun had a chance to rise, he began packing his suitcases.

While Chad thought back to the horrendous memories of last night, he couldn't stop the slight smile from creeping onto his lips. He no longer had to worry about smelly goats or bickering comedians. As soon as his suitcases were loaded, he was free to leave Glandovia. The only worry he would have was finding the most comfortable sleeping arrangement as his private jet flew him back to Hollywood-

"Chad, wait up!"

-And maybe a way to keep the talkative Random quiet if the suitcases she dragged along behind her were an indication of what Sonny was about to ask.

The bubbly actress approached Chad, the sweet smile on her face not deceiving the three-named star for a second. She wanted something from him, something he had a feeling wasn't going to be in his favor.

"Hey, Sonny," he greeted half-heartedly. "Where's Blondie? Shouldn't the two of you be on your way to the airport by now?"

"Actually, there's a funny story about that. You see, Tawni kind of turned off all the alarms this morning and left without me. The plane that I was supposed to be on left…an hour ago."

"Wow. It sounds like you're having a rough morning so far," Chad said before turning his back on Sonny, getting ready to climb on his jet. "Well, good luck finding out when the next plane leaves!"

"Actually, I already checked the schedule." Pretending he wasn't paying attention, Chad took his seat beside the window. As he folded his hands behind his head, ready to start relaxing, he realized Sonny was standing in the jet's doorway. "No planes are going to Hollywood until next week."

"I bet right about now you're wishing you were as cool as CDC, aren't you?" Chad flashed his signature smile. "Then you could take care of the problem by calling for your own private jet!"

"Well, since we both know I'll never be as cool as you," Sonny lied through her teeth, "Couldn't we solve the problem by, oh, I don't know…letting me ride in your private jet with you?"

Chad had known the question was coming since Sonny started walking in his direction. He had his answer ready. As he sat up straight in his chair, staring at Sonny's too-cute hopeful smile, he told her his verdict:

"No."

Sonny shrugged her shoulders, making her way back to her luggage while Chad let his pilot know they were clear for take-off.

"I guess," Sonny's voice drifted to his eyes from the still open door, which was closing slowly, "I'll just have to let everyone at Tween Weekly know Chad Dylan Cooper wears pink underwear."

Chad was on his feet within seconds, his body stopping the door from closing completely. His eyes locked with Sonny's, who was now smiling in a way that resembled Zora whenever the younger girl had some sort of plan.

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me, Cooper. Don't think I won't do it, either. I have real photo evidence."

She pulled her cell phone from her pocket, showing off a picture Chad had never seen of himself. Sonny wasn't lying; she really did have proof that CDC owned a single pair of pink underwear.

"How - When - Why?!" Chad couldn't decide which question to ask first as he stood there, mortified.

"Remember when I came into your dressing room and helped you squeeze into Tawni's skinny jeans?" Sonny turned the phone's screen until she could see it, smiling once again. "Remember when you asked what was taking me so long to start helping and you accused me of enjoying the view? Well, I wasn't enjoying the view at all; I was getting blackmail."

Chad could feel his face flushing furiously. He knew it was a mistake letting Sonny stay in his room that day instead of kicking her out! Now he either had to let her ride with him to Condor Studios or have the entire world know about his underwear. Basically, he had to pick which would be the less of two bad outcomes.

"That - that was on laundry day," he managed to say. "I was forced into wearing that pair because the rest of my clothes were being taken to the dry cleaners…"

"You don't need to come up with excuses for me, Chad," Sonny shrugged innocently, picking up her suitcases again as she turned her back to the actor. "Tween Weekly readers, on the other hand, may want some sort of explanation why their favorite actor owns a pair of-,"

"I'll take you to Hollywood."

Sonny was at his side in seconds, forcing her suitcases in through the still half-way closed door. Before Chad would move aside enough to allow the female entrance, he held out his hand.

"I'm not paying you for letting me ride in your private jet," Sonny protested, shaking her head.

"I don't want your money," Chad spat, rolling his eyes. "I want that picture deleted. Now."

"But then I won't have any blackmail next time I want you to do something!"

"Exactly."

Sonny grumbled loudly, refusing to hand over her phone into Chad's waiting palm. Instead, she loaded the picture, shoved the screen into his face, and then hit the delete button.

"There," she stated angrily. "The picture is gone. You have nothing to worry about now, Chad."

"Good," Chad replied, moving aside to let Sonny in.

"Good," she retorted, stalking over to his window seat and plopping down.

"Fine!" Chad sat down in next to the actress, glaring at her.

"Fine!" Sonny turned her attention to the window, refusing to return Chad's gaze.

As Chad leaned back in his chair, nothing to look at since there was no window on his side, he sighed deeply. It was going to be a LONG flight back to Condor Studios what with no scenery or in-flight movie to keep him busy. The only company he had was Sonny Munroe and she, at least for now, was having too much fun pointing excitedly at things out the window to have much of a conversation with.

_This is why Chad Dylan Cooper doesn't do nice,_ Chad thought to himself as Sonny tapped his arm repeatedly, trying to get his attention (his eyes were closed so he could pretend to sleep). _Never again will a Random step foot on my private jet!_

Several hours later, Sonny's hyperness began wearing down. She and Tawni had been fighting until all hours and she must've woken up pretty early in order to catch up with Chad before he left. Slowly, her eyes drooped…

…And her head ended up on Chad's shoulder as she slept soundly.

Smiling down at his enemy, Chad gently laid his head on top of hers, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She snuggled deeper into his embrace, forcing Chad to pull out his own phone, snapping a quick picture.

_Sonny's not the only one who knows how to get blackmail!_

Even as Chad saved the photo, he knew there was no chance of him ever handing it over to Tween Weekly. He was going to save the picture, reserving it for his eyes only.

Chad Dylan Cooper didn't need blackmail to get whatever he wanted. He could get it with his suave smile. It was nice being the greatest actor of his generation. It really was.

Author's note: Thanks so much for all the reviews and favorting, everyone!! Let's see…ten more reviews and we'll be up to 100. Usually 100 is when I try to reward everyone for doing such a good job encouraging me to keep writing. I really want to come up with a prize this time - this was the first story I EVER submitted to this site!! I think we shall all celebrate somehow…Hmm. Well, how about we make a deal? You guys get me up to 100 and I will think of a prize by my next update? Do we have a deal??


	24. Episode 24: Gassie Passes

You guys are the best. 109 reviews? For me? Aww, thank you so much!! I will reward you by letting you read the new chapter instead of hearing from me. Hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. My grandparents do own a collie though. She's a lot bigger than Gassie since she's part German shepherd. They also have a German shepherd puppy (cutest puppy I have ever seen!!). It's so cute to watch their dogs play with the three of mine (a Dalmatian, cairn terrier, and Chihuahua). The five of them run around the yard together and chase each other and…yeah. I'm just like Sonny. I love dogs. I really do.

Episode 24:

Gassie Passes

**Chad Dylan Cooper Only Allows The Best Actors In His Movies**

Chad could feel his mouth falling open when he caught sight of Sonny - again. Already she'd snuck that dog of hers - **W**hat was it's name? Pasty? Gatsby? - onto his set. Why was she back, the dog heeling at her side?

"Sonny," he said in fake cheerfulness, causing the Random to jump when he popped up behind her. His hand on her shoulder was enoug**h** to calm her down. "What are you and your little friend doing back? You didn't get enough of the Falls during your first visit?" His voice lowered as he brought his face closer to Sonny's. "Or are you here because you wanted to finally admit your true feelings for CDC?"

"Actually, Chad, I'm here because I need your help." Before Chad could get over the initial shock of Sonny asking for his help, she lunged into her story. "You see, everything started when I didn't think Gassie was getting enough love in his life, so I took him out and played with him while his handler was busy. As it turns out, Gassie wasn't supposed to get any l**o**ve because now he can't toot anymore, and if he can't toot, he can't work, and if he can't work, then he can't star in the movie with my cast, and if he can't star in the movie, then his old owner doesn't want him. So, she handed Gassie over to me, and my cast mates started group-rambling at me about how stupid I was for giving Gassie love, so I promised I would fix him."

Her voice came out faster than Chad had ever heard Sonny speak (and he'd heard her talk pretty fast before). He stood there for several moments after her spiel, giving the words a **c**hance to soak in.

"Not that that wasn't a touching story," he finally spoke again, "But I don't see how Chad Dylan Cooper fits in."

"You fit in because I need to borrow your set for awhile," Sonny explained, nodding to the collie. "I need someplace I can work with Gassie on his tooting without my cast watching over my shoulder. Now, if you excuse me, I have a dog to fix."

Sonny tried to walk away, Gassie heeling obediently with her. Both hum**a**n and dog were forced to stop when Chad held out his arm, blocking Sonny's path.

"Nice try, Munroe," he told the actress as she glared at him. "Since you had that dog on my set earlier, I have to catch up on the work you made me miss then. I don't have time to stick around and baby-sit you today."

"Chad, you know I wouldn't be asking you if I didn't really **n**eed to use your set," Sonny pleaded. "Can't Gassie and I stay for one hour?"

There was something about the way she stuck out her lower lip and made her eyes as big as possible that broke Chad's demeanor. He wanted to tell her no. He wan**t**ed to say it was her problem, not his, and she could find her own solution for it.

"Fine," was the word that ended up leaving his mouth instead. Sonny smiled brightly as Chad held up his finger. "Chad Dylan Cooper doesn't help people out for free. This is going to cost you $50."

"You're charging me $50 just to use your set?!"

Using both his hands to motion around him, Chad shrugged.

"Have you not seen how awesome my set is? You're lucky I'm giving you such a good deal on the price, Sonny. Usually I charge $100 per hour."

Not liking Chad's price despite the deal he was giving her, Sonny decided to try her best to convince Chad she should be able to stay for free. As the jerk throb **w**atched her, she got down on her knees, wrapping her arms around Gassie's neck and pressing their heads together.

"Look at how cute this dog is!!" she cooed, smiling up at Chad's un-phased face. "You don't really want to make him pay for being on your set, do you?"

Chad looked from Gassie, to Sonny, and then b**a**ck again.

"$50."

"But…But…" Sonny couldn't think of another excuse. "Check out what Gassie can do!"

Letting the dog off the leash, Sonny took a ball out from somewhere, squeaking it a few times to get Gassie's attention. Once the coll**i**e was preparing to pounce on her in order to steal the toy, Sonny threw it. "Fetch!"

Gassie did as he was told, bringing the ball back to Sonny moments later. She praised him before climbing back to her feet and giving Chad a look **t**hat said, 'What now?!'

"Your dog knows how to play **f**etch…just like all the other dogs in the world." If Chad was supposed to be impressed, he wasn't. "Unless he can do something amazing like-,"

"Oh, he can do amazing tricks!" S**o**nny cut him off. To prove her point, she turned her attention back to Gassie. "Sit!"

The dog did as it was told. The p**r**ocess was repeated several times as Sonny kept giving out new orders. There was speak (Gassie barked), lie down (Gassie did just that), roll over (which Gassie performed perfectly), and then, Sonny ordered Gassie to stay while she walked away, praising the animal like crazy when she called 'come' and it obeyed.

Growing bored, Chad was going to tell Sonny he would leave her and Gassie alone until their hour was up, which was when he'd collect his money. Just as he was opening his mouth to say goodbye, Sonny gave one last command.

"Gassie…Play dead!"

The dog collapsed on the floor, all **f**our paws straight up in the air. The pose almost reminded Chad of a goldfish since they floated on their backs when dead and Gassie was lying on his. Sonny seemed surprised by the realistic trick as well.

"Great job, Gassie!" Sonny excl**a**imed proudly. "You can get up now."

Gassie didn't move.

"Um…Gassie?" Sonny **l**aughed nervous**l**y. "I said you can stop playing dead now, boy!"

Chad poked one of Gassie's paws with his finger.

"He's not moving," he stated the obvious.

"I'm sure he's just sleeping," Sonny sa**i**d, using the falsetto voice that came out every time she lied. "He's tired from all the tricks I made him do. I'm sure that's all it is. All we have to do is let him rest for awhile and he'll be as good as new!"

Eve**n** as the words left her mouth, Sonny wasn't so sure they were true.

* * *

Everyone thought Gassie was dead, he came back to life at his own funeral, and Sonny cued the happy ending to Chad's movie. Slowly, all the funeral **g**uests started to clear out, including Gassie now that Bella didn't trust him in Sonny's care. Eventually, Chad was the last one on the set-

Except **f**or one last actress.

"So…" Sonny refused to meet Chad's eyes as she looked around the room. "Do you need some help cleaning up?"

"No, no," Chad pr**o**tested, shaking his head. "This is my set, not yours, remember? I have people who clean up for me."

Sonny had forgotten that small detail when she'd stayed behind. She was hoping she and Chad could clean up together, staying on opposite sides of the **r**oom while doing their separate jobs, and she'd give him the thanks he deserved for throwing together Gassie's funeral without needing to look him in the eyes as she did it.

As much as Sonny didn't want to do it, it wouldn't be right to just take off and leave with everyone else. Chad had shown ac**t**ual support to her, stopping by her dressing room once he'd heard the confirmed word of Gassie's death, trying to make her a balloon animal to cheer her up, and agreeing to have the funeral on his set (even if he had only done that last part because he wanted to turn the funeral into a money-making movie). It wasn't in Chad's character to be that nice to a person trying to cope with death - or any person, really.

And yet, Chad had done it for her. He had shown his compassionate side, being there for Sonny when she really needed a friend. She couldn't let that go unnoticed.

"Chad, I just wanted to say-,"

"That you never got a chance to finish reading your cue cards?"

The Mackenzie Falls actor held up the same pile of cards he'd been letting Sonny read from before the funeral became a celebration. Sonny shook her head.

"I don't need the cards to tell you what I need to say," she explained. "I think I can do this on my own."

"But the cards will help." For some reason Sonny didn't understand, Chad was being persistent. "Please finish reading the cards, Sonny? It took me a long time to write out this speech…I'd hate to see it go to waste."

After everything he'd done for her, the least Sonny could do was let Chad hear his speech (after all, he never put the time and effort into writing his own lines, much less speeches for ot**h**er people).

"Silent but deadly-,"

That was as far as Sonny got before Chad stopped her.

"Actually, Sonny, would you mind standing behind the podium?" His head nodded toward the same podium Sonny had began her speech at before. "I know Gassie's alive and everything, but…I just want to get the full effect of my words."

Sonny moved so she was standing behind the podium, Chad knelt on the ground in front as he'd done earlier, and she started her lines where she'd left off.

"Whoever smelt it dealt it. These are just a few of the words that come to mind when we think of Gassi**e**. He was a star among-,"

This time, Sonny was cut off when Chad moved the cue card, her eyes unable to make out any of the words. Chad made his way toward her, using his fingers to gently brush her hair. Sonny could feel her cheeks blushing.

"Now what are you doing, Cooper?" she demanded, trying to sound angry.

"I told you - I want the full ef**f**ect," Chad replied. "I can't concentrate on your words when I have nothing but messy hair to stare at." He kneeled in front of her for the second time, holding the cue card where she could read it. "Let's start from 'He was a star'."

"He was a star among stars," Sonny started obediently. "Much like the man who let Gassie use the bathroom on his set. Yes, that's right, everyone. Gassie and Chad Dylan Cooper are both stars - the only difference being one was a lot better looking than the other. It was out of the goodness of his heart that Chad allowed Gassie onto the M**a**ckenzie Falls set. Some people would even have called it love at first sniff…"

"Cue the romantic music!"

The lights dimmed and soft, melodic music started playing through the room. Sonny glared at Chad.

"What?" he asked innocently, putting down the bullhorn he'd shouted his 'line' into.

"The camera is off, Chad. There's no reason to 'cue the romantic music'."

"Is there, Sonny? Is there really no reason to cue the romantic music?"

Chad was on his feet again, making his way slowly toward the podium. Sonny could feel her heart racing. Chad Dylan Cooper was walking in her direction…The lights were set just dark enough to cast shadows across his face…Harmonies gently flowed into her ears…

Suddenly, Chad was c**l**oser to Sonny than he'd been the entire night. He stood on the other side of the podium from her, that smile that always made her breath catch overtaking his lips. When he reached out for her hand, Sonny handed it over too easily.

"Look, I know it was sweet of me to put this funeral together," Chad said softly, watching in delight as Sonny became speechless. "It was way sweet. But the bad blood between our two shows has run too deep for too long to be healed by a dog's funeral, even with the best of intentions." His thumb brushed the top of her hand while he spoke, giving both Hollywood stars shivers. "Just because you wish for something doesn't make it so."

"Oh, Chad Dylan-,"

"Shh," Chad hushed Sonny, using his other hand to put a finger over her lips. "The time for talking is over. You must stay." Sonny's eyes widened in surprise. "So stay, stay with me now. Let's live out our dream while we're still alone."

Chad leaned his body across the podium, bringing his face closer and closer to Sonny's. She could fee**l** her heart pounding in her chest, her knees going weak, and her eyes beginning to close. Chad had been so nice to her about Gassie…The least she could do was kiss him after everything he'd done…

Right?

_Wrong! _Sonny's mind protested. _Sonny, think about what you're doing. You're kissing Chad Dylan Cooper! He's the enemy! _

But he's been nice to me!

_Nice enough to kiss? All he did was help you plan a funeral, which he only did in the first place to make money! He hasn't changed, Sonny! He's still the same stuck-up, conceited jerk throb he was when you first met him._

He's a stuck-up, conceited jerk throb with a _really_ nice body.

_Don't do it, Sonny! Think about your friends. What would they say if they knew? What if word ever gets out to Tween Weekly? You have no idea if you're really alone right now. Chad could have a hidden camera somewhere and he's trying to sabotage you. Besides, you DON'T like him, remember??_

The internal fight only lasted for a few seconds. That was all the thinking time Sonny had as Chad continued his slow descendent. There was no time for her to back out even if she wanted to. Chad's forehead pressed against hers, causing her skin to tingle in anticipation of the kiss she knew was coming. His lips gently brushed the tip of her nose-

"Gassie, just where do you think you're going?!"

Bella's shout was what forced Sonny and Chad apart. Gassie ran up to the couple, going straight to Sonny's side and begging to be pet. By the time Bella showed up, she didn't want to do anything but yell at Sonny for giving the collie too much love, resulting in a dog who would never stop asking for attention. Sonny was forced to leave the Mackenzie Falls set when Bella grabbed her arm, saying it was time they had a talk with Marshall about her behavior.

Chad angrily kicked the podium Sonny had been standing behind as he watched the Random being pulled away. A loud _crash_ echoed through the room as the podium fell to the ground, but Chad didn't bother picking it up. His hands were in fists, his teeth gritted together.

He was falling faster and harder than he believed possible for the one girl who was off-limit**s**.

Author's Note: First of all, I have to thank TrinityFlower of Memories for giving me the idea of Sonny finishing up the cue cards Chad wrote. She's helped me out with so many stories! You guys should check out her stories if you haven't already!!

Secondly, how many of you knew Bella was going to show up there at the end? If you really thought Chad and Sonny were going to kiss…then you don't know my writing style very well. Just kidding, just kidding!! Seriously though. Did you guys think it would be Bella and Gassie or did you think I'd actually be creative and come up with a different interruption for once?

Thirdly, I promised a prize if you guys got me up to 100 reviews (thanks again!!). Instead of asking for your email addresses so I could send you chocolate filled coconuts, I've decided to play a little game. I actually got this idea from another story…wish I could tell you the name of it so I could give that author credit!! Anyway, in case you didn't notice while you were reading, letters scattered throughout this chapter were in bold print (excluding the 'Chad Dylan Cooper' line underneath the episode title). Scroll back through the chapter, write down all the letters in the order you find them, and you will find a secret message. Anyone who guesses the message correctly will get a shout-out in my next update!!

Hint: When you find all the letters, it will make eight words. The first word has 3 letters, the second has 4 letters, the third has 4 letters, the fourth has 3 letters, the fifth has 7 letters, the sixth has 3 letters, the seventh has 3 letters, and the eighth has 5 letters. Sorry if I confused anyone!!

If you figure it out, don't forget to answer the question in your review!!


	25. Episode 25: Sonny With A Song

Sorry this wasn't updated earlier!! For some reason, my best friend thinks I should learn to drive instead of stay home and write all day long. Yeah…She kidnapped me today and made me drive her on all her errands. I even learned how to pump gas!! Don't worry, she didn't bore me to death or anything. We went bathing suit shopping and I found this one that had cow spots!!!!! I was so excited, I tried it on and everything. Then I figured out something very important: I need to lose weight before I can buy a new swimming suit. So, summer is looming, the beach is waiting, and my friend and I are going on diets. Swell, isn't it?

Credit at the end for everyone who played along with my game last chapter!!

Disclaimer: I'm going to sneak into Condor Studios one of these nights, tie Chad up, and bring him to my house. Once he's there, I'm going to hold him hostage until he agrees to ask Sonny out and the two of them can live happily ever after. Then all Channy rights will belong to me since I was the one who got them together. For now though, I own nothing.

Episode 25:

Sonny With A Song

**Chad Dylan Cooper Fears Nothing**

*And for the author's sanity, let's pretend the device Sonny had in her hands upon meeting Trey Brothers was a cell phone. Oh yeah, and that her text messages are _italics_ while Chad's are **bold**. And ACTION!*

Sonny Munroe had to remain calm. Just because Trey Brothers was standing in the same room she was didn't mean she had to turn into some sort of crazy fan girl. Tawni played that role perfectly - and from what Sonny could tell, Trey wasn't liking it. If Sonny wanted any chance at all of showing off her song to the pop star, she couldn't let herself spin out of control.

Trying to act like it was no big deal at all who So Random's guest star was, Sonny sat down in her chair away from her cast mates, pulling out her phone. She needed something to cover her face just in case she started gushing (the phone worked fine for a barrier after she raised it). Realizing she was too excited to sit still, Sonny stared at the blank screen, her own chocolate eyes staring back at her. She needed something to keep her fingers busy, something that would take her mind off Trey…

She knew the perfect distraction.

_Trey Brothers is on my stage!_

Making sure her phone was set on vibrate so no one would hear mooing and know what she was up to, Sonny waited patiently for a reply text message. To her surprise, a response came after only a short pause. Chad must've been on break from filming over at the Falls.

**Trey Brothers? Isn't he that pompous pop star?**

_He isn't pompous at all. Actually, he's really cute!!_

While she waited for Chad's answer, Sonny noticed from the corner of her eye as Trey neared her chair. He walked hunched over, watching for her reaction, truly thinking she was blind in order to not have seen him yet. Little did he know it was taking everything Sonny had to pretend she didn't realize what was going on.

The buzzing in her hand was the only thing able to keep Sonny's mind grounded. She couldn't read the text at first (Trey, Marshall, and Tawni were all waiting for her to agree to do Trey's tour, an activity she gave in to, acting like she didn't want to do it at all). Once she was in her dressing room, she finally had a chance to read whatever Chad had said.

**Pfft. I'm sure Ray isn't any cuter than I am. Still, I want to meet him. Bring him on over to the Falls.**

_He's guest starring on my show, not yours. I have to show him around the So Random set…I have no reason to 'bring him on over to the falls'._

Less than a minute later, before Sonny could open her secret Trey shrine, Chad had her attention again.

**Well, in that case, I'll just have to include myself during your little tour.**

_Chad, you can't just include yourself! I was told to give Trey a tour. If I don't do a good job, I could get fired or suspended or…or…_

**Don't worry about any of that, Munroe. You'll be doing him a FAVOR by letting him meet Chad Dylan Cooper. I'll catch you in a few minutes!**

Shaking her head, Sonny slipped her phone back into her pocket, unsure if she should be looking forward to Chad and Trey's meeting or not. Oh well…At least the tour had one guaranteed fun stop on it!

* * *

Maybe Chad Dylan Cooper was afraid of spiders (only the big ones though. I mean, come on. Who wouldn't freak out if they saw this huge hairy eight-legged creature staring at them, waiting for the perfect moment to attack?!). Maybe he was even afraid of heights (it just wasn't smart to put a face as great as his up high when there was a chance he could fall and end up distorting some part of his body). The possibility of Trey raising the Random's ratings over that of the Falls was another thing scary to the three-named jerk throb, although that one was easy to solve after adding the vampires to his show.

What scared Chad more than anything was the way Sonny looked at her guest star.

Never before (with the exception of James…and Hayden) had Chad been jealous of another guy. Sure, Sonny tried to act like having Trey on her set meant nothing to her, but Chad had known her long enough to see the secret in her eyes. He could see the glint as she watched Tray's every movement and he overheard Tawni telling the other losers about Sonny's shrine to the guy. She had known Chad for over a year now, and what did he get in return? A 'good, good, fine, fine' argument every once in awhile. She'd known Trey for a few days and he got a whole shrine??

Chad felt happy enough to jump out of his skin when he found out Sonny had lost all respect for the pop-star, even though the guy had stole his bangs idea. It was worth it to have Sonny back on his side. The actress was so eager to talk to him, in fact, that she nearly ran him over when she pranced into the commissary.

"What's your hurry?" Chad asked, his protecting arms the only thing keeping Sonny from falling after colliding with him. "Did you finally realize your show isn't funny so you came to beg me for a spot on the Falls?"

"Normally I'd start fighting with you about how I wouldn't join the Falls if someone held a gun to my head and threatened to shoot, but there's no time right now. You remember how Trey stole your bangs thing, right?"

"Actually, it's called Ba-Bangs," Chad corrected.

"Yeah, whatever." Sonny waved off Chad's last statement, giving him a huge smile. "My cast and I came up with a great plan to get back at Trey for trying to steal all of our stuff! Do you want to know what the plan is?!"

"Why would you bother telling me about it? Unless, of course, you were just looking for an excuse to talk to the great Chad Dylan Cooper."

He flashed her a huge grin, receiving nothing but an eye roll in return.

"Actually, I was going to tell you because Trey stole something from you as well, so it's kind of a plot for you to get back at him, too." She shrugged her shoulders, walking out of the commissary slowly, giving Chad a chance to stop her. "I guess if you don't want to hear about it, I'll be on my way."

She glanced over her shoulder upon reaching the doorway, flashing Chad a hopeful smile.

"Alright, I'll listen to your stupid little plan," Chad gave in, sighing like he was being asked to do the most dreaded chore ever given. "Just know if it's not Chad Dylan Cooper worthy, I don't want my name included."

Sonny skipped back to his side, taking his hands in hers as she sat down at the nearest table, pulling Chad down beside her. She revealed her plan, the smile never leaving her lips as she did so, the excitement always shining in her chocolate eyes. This was the Sonny Chad had missed talking to while she was busy flirting with Trey.

This was the Sonny he never wanted to lose sight of again.

* * *

(Author's Note: The song you hear in this section, as Sonny will tell you sooner or later, really is only something I threw together really really fast after hearing Tawni's song title suggestion. The song is called Girl Plus Boy Equals Annoyed, just as Tawni said when she and Sonny were in their dressing room after ripping open the song pillow. If you hate the lyrics, hate them. But please don't base my writing off the horrible song!!)

Wow.

That was the only word Chad could think of after listening to Sonny perform Me, Myself, and Time. He'd only stopped by the So Random stage because he wanted to see how their director would react to the missing Trey Brothers and how the Randoms would pull together to save their show. He was counting on being able to witness a laughable result. Maybe the Randoms wouldn't have any skits ready and they would try making them up off the top of their heads. Perhaps their show would be postponed so there could be a search party for Trey.

He never expected to find Sonny with a microphone in her hands, singing her heart out and actually sounding - dare he say it? - good. No, Sonny didn't just sound good…She sounded great!

There was a long line to meet Sonny once the show was over for the night and the live studio audience was allowed access to their favorite comedians. Chad stayed in his hiding place behind their chairs, peeking out long enough to watch Sonny smile after every compliment, telling her how awesome she'd done. She looked tired once security asked everyone to leave, although she had energy left to tell her friends she'd meet up with them in a few minutes to go out for ice cream.

Finally, she stood alone on the stage. Chad watched as she slowly made her way over to the piano, sighing contently when she looked out over the empty seats, no doubt flashing back to her performance. Sitting down on the piano bench, she let her fingers start gliding across the keys into a melody Chad had never heard before.

Figuring Sonny was too busy to notice him, Chad began making his way toward her. He came out from behind the chairs, making sure he stayed behind Sonny's back. She kept playing, seemingly oblivious to the Mackenzie Falls actor behind her. Stepping slowly so he could keep his shoes quiet, Chad continued on his path, only stopping when Sonny's voice started in again.

_He's lived in Hollywood for years and years_

_Her dream came true after she moved here_

_She planned on coming so she could star on her favorite show_

_He didn't want anyone taking away his glow_

Chad had a feeling Sonny knew he was behind her. Just in case, he kept his mouth shut, letting nothing but the slow melody flow through the room. It wasn't long before Sonny was singing again.

_Now he's just as conceited as ever_

_And she's learning all about the word never_

_He's just a boy and she's just a girl_

_Sometimes staring into his eyes is enough to make her hurl_

"Don't laugh," Sonny ordered and now Chad knew she was aware of him. She didn't face him or stop the music before going on. "I know it's stupid and poorly written, but I was busy with all the Trey drama and didn't really have a chance to work on this song. I came up with the idea when - well, actually, Tawni was the one who gave me the idea for it." Finally, she turned her attention to Chad. "You can probably hear it better from over here."

He took Sonny up on her offer, joining her on the bench. They were forced to sit close together, but Sonny didn't seem to mind Chad's shoulder resting against hers. Instead, she gave him a smile.

"How did you know I was still here?" he asked.

"I thought you wouldn't come at all," Sonny replied, shrugging her shoulders. "That's why I knew you'd be here."

They met eyes, but it wasn't long before Sonny turned her gaze back to the piano, her fingers playing the tune flawlessly. Chad reached for the sheet music Sonny had left out, apparently only for effect. She had the song memorized.

_One boy and one girl_

_Coming together from two separate worlds_

_Girl plus boy, girl plus boy_

_Could you be any more annoyed?_

_He thinks he's the best thing to ever walk this earth_

_She's been fighting for this role since birth_

_He looks down on her just because she's 'funny'_

_Little does he know who's making the most money_

"Hold on, Sonny." Chad pointed to the line the brunette had just sang, the paper creasing at his touch. "If this boy is as great as he seems to think he is, which I'm sure he is, then he would be making more money than the 'funny' girl."

Sonny pursed her lips, giving Chad a death glare.

_She's made best friends since moving to Hollywood_

_He loves to fight with her by saying 'good'_

_He thinks he means nothing to her at all_

_Without him, she just may fall_

_Without his challenges, she would never give herself a shot_

_Everyone, including him, knows that he's hot_

_He would never admit it in a million years_

_But he's found a way to take away all her fears_

It was more than a little obvious the song was referring to the couple sitting on the bench. Chad couldn't stop watching Sonny's face, trying to figure out if she was lying or her lyrics were being honest. He wanted them to be true. He wanted her to have written the song about the two of them in an attempt to bring them closer. He wanted-

-to start playing the same melody she was, only in a new pitch.

Sonny's face was priceless when Chad set the music down, finding the spot she was at. Now the melody played even louder than before, one lower than the other but the two sounds coming together perfectly.

_What all started off as one girl's dreams_

_Has now grown into something more, it seems_

_A boy, too afraid to admit his thoughts_

_A girl, in the middle of everything caught_

_They may never figure out where they're supposed to be_

_That's ok though because it's unlikely they'll ever agree_

_Like Romeo and Juliet_

_A secret romance would have to be kept_

_One boy and one girl_

_Coming together from two separate worlds_

_Girl plus boy, girl plus boy_

_Could you be any more annoyed?_

The music faded out as Chad ran out of notes to read. The teens lingered as long as they could, listening to the last chords, neither of them wanting the moment to end. Sonny was staring at Chad and he was staring back.

What had just happened between them?

Neither Chad nor Sonny were sure of the answer to that question. All they knew was the deep desire they felt to lean in closer. It was the perfect moment. They were alone, there wasn't a chance of anyone seeing them, and Chad knew Sonny wasn't going to pull away. His lips were nearly on hers-

-And that was when the lights turned off, leaving the room in pitch blackness.

"Really?" Chad asked the sky, annoyance in his voice.

"Boy Plus Girl Equals Annoyed," Sonny laughed. "That's a title that will always live true, apparently. At least it will when the boy is you and the girl is me anyway."

Chad felt the warmth of Sonny's shoulder leave, followed a few minutes later by the sound of her feet walking away. Sighing, he rested his elbow on the invisible piano, not caring about the _clunk_ noise it emitted.

Chad Dylan Cooper was afraid of huge spiders, great heights, and any guy who made Sonny flirty. There was one thing that scared him more than anything else:

The thought he may never get to really kiss her.

* * *

SHOUT-OUT TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The message, if you were able to find all the letters which, I admit, did turn out being harder than I thought, said: Who Can't Wait For Falling For The Falls?!? (omitting the punctuation at the end).

Krystal, purple dynamite, TFM (you can blame her also for the late update), MiaPatli'sBlackMoonroses, Cremello, Channy4Ever343, FanOfTv, li'miss sunshine, ginbug14, lolz3, xxjhopsterxx, Zoezora, clarkLover1, PixyStix800, Just-call-me-Jess, Jonzeygirl, Karoliina15, kellynn625, LilRockerStar, : THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING PART IN MY GAME LAST CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to anyone who I might have missed (sorry if I did!!) and to those of you who reviewed without playing along as well. Seriously - I owe each and every one of you a huge cookie!!

So, in your review this time, want to tell me what you thought of my song? Sorry for adding it in…As soon as Tawni said the title, my mind started whirling. I guess that's what happens when a person gets too obessed with writing…Want to let me know whether or not you hated it?

Oh yeah, and let me know what you think will happen in High School Miserables!! I think most of us already know the plot, so don't tell me that. Tell me about Channy moments you think might be coming up, or…or funny moments the Randoms may have while being in school. Just share something with me so I can laugh. Please? I have a feeling that episode is going to be a REALLY good one. :D

Review?


	26. Episode 26: High School Miserable

Sorry, guys. I can't take credit for this chapter. You can thank TrinityFlower of Memories for this, actually. She gave me the idea for it and was kind enough to let me steal everything and share it with you guys. There's another note from me at the end of the chapter you may want to check out *wink wink*

Disclaimer: If I owned swac, I would have cooler dreams like the entire So Random cast did in Sunday's episode. Unfortunately, I never remember what my dreams are. I guess that means I still own nothing.

Episode 26:

High School Miserable

**Chad Dylan Cooper Never Gets Caught**

Chad didn't know what possessed him to enter the Prop House. Work was done for the day and he wanted to go home so he had a chance to rest up before needing to use his awesome acting skills again tomorrow. A little voice in the back of his head kept ordering him to head toward the Prop House instead of his car.

"Hey, Ran…" His voice died as soon as he entered the room, his greeting cut short. All five losers were there, each girl dressed in huge poofy dresses while the boys wore their normal clothing. Something was different about them. "Um…Randoms?"

Nico and Grady were by the kitchen area, their bodies lying lifeless on the floor. Tawni and Zora shared the couch, each of them using an armrest as a pillow. Sonny was sitting at the only table in the room, her head resting on a piece of paper, a pen in her hand. Not one of them moved a muscle upon Chad's entrance.

Either they were sleeping or had all passed out at the same time.

Chad made his way over to Sonny, staring at her for several long moments. _I just want to make sure she's not dead,_ he told himself, slowly extending his pointer finger in her direction. _I'm simply going to make sure she's asleep and not dying. Not that I care either way. It's just that…uh…if five people die in here tonight, the studio is REALLY going to stink tomorrow morning. Yeah. That's why I need to make sure she's ok, not because I have feelings for her and actually care!_

Nervously, not wanting to endure the wrath of Sonny Munroe if he woke her up, Chad poked her shoulder. He turned his face the second he was done, covering his ears in anticipation of the eruption he was sure would follow.

To his surprise, the room stayed just as silent as it had been since his entrance. Chad dared another glance at the brunette. If his poke had done anything to her, it had only pushed her over the tiniest bit, making her slouch further onto the table. Her hair encased her face so it was impossible to tell if her mouth was open, allowing Sonny to get air into her lungs or not. Chad reached for her wrist, pressing his fingers to the spot he knew a pulse could be taken.

"We didn't even want this cast member!"

The shout was enough cause for Chad to spring to his feet, dropping Sonny's wrist so he could hold his hands in the air. It took him a second to realize no one was in the room, busting him for being in the Prop House. Where had the shout come from then?

"Evil!" another voice cried out.

This time, Chad saw her lips move as she spoke. Zora was the one to speak the word although, much to Chad's puzzlement, she never lifted her head from the couch or opened her eyes. Was she…talking in her sleep?

Just as Chad knelt on the floor, studying the youngest girl's face, he fell flat on his butt in shock. All five Randoms started shouting at once, going on for a short spiel before shutting up simultaneously. Chad stayed where he was, one hand covering his heart. What was going on? Why were the Randoms acting even stranger than usual?

"I mean, what is Mr. Condor going to do?" Sonny scoffed, tilting her head until her lips were seeable, allowing her to talk. "Fire us and send us to public school?"

Her four cast mates started laughing at the mere suggestion of Mr. Condor ever being so evil. The laughter went on until-

"I can't believe Mr. Condor fired us and sent us to public school!"

Chad climbed to his feet, cocking his head to the side. Was it possible for five people to have the same dream at the exact same time? Apparently, it was. Each person was responding to the other voices as though they were awake, although not one eye opened the entire time.

If all the Randoms were asleep…Why was Chad spying instead of pranking?

Leaving the couch behind, Chad made his way to the two males, stepping in the space between their bodies. Nico was on his back, his hands resting on his stomach. Grady laid the opposite of his best friend, nearly making Chad turn away, not wanting to stare at the plump boy's backside. Just as he began to head back toward Sonny-

-He couldn't help but notice Grady's shirt was up high enough for his underwear to be seen. Chad smiled. It had been a long time since he had been able to give someone a wedgie.

"Did you know there are 36 types of wedgies?" Grady's irritated voice demanded after Chad placed his tightie-whities over his head.

"Of course I knew that," Chad replied even though he was fairly certain Grady wasn't speaking to him. "I did, after all, invent 35 of them. I would've invented all 36 if they wouldn't have given credit to the person who pulled the world's very first wedgie." He smiled as he studied his latest masterpiece. "I call this one the Hoodie."

After taking several pictures with his cell phone he would be sure to 'accidentally' send to Tween Weekly, Chad glanced around the room, wondering what trouble he could get into next. A wonderfully awful idea occurred to him:

He could pose the Randoms anyway he wanted to!

Fixing Grady's underwear so they were no longer over his head, Chad propped the boy up until he sat up straight. He turned to Nico next, propping him up as well. Then he sat down between the best friends, one hand on each of their chins.

"Hey, Nico," Chad said, lowering his voice in a fake imitation of Grady's. He forced the blonde actor to move his lips as though he were really speaking. "Do you know who my hero is?"

"Chad Dylan Cooper?" 'Nico' took a guess.

"You're right!" 'Grady' confirmed. "Chad is the greatest actor of our generation and my idol! I wish I could be as cool as he is!"

"Just like me," Nico really spoke this time, his voice sounding like he was in a daze.

"No, not like you at all," 'Grady' disagreed. "You're not ANYWHERE close to the coolness of Chad!"

"It's that noise again!" Tawni called out, sending everyone but Sonny into panic mode.

Leaving the boys behind, Chad forced Tawni and Zora to put their feet flat on the ground, making them sit up straight. He sat on the cushion between them, gripping their chins the same way he had done to Nico and Grady.

"What noise are you talking about?" 'Zora' asked in response to Tawni's statement.

"Oh, you know exactly what noise I'm talking about," 'Tawni' told her. "That cheering that comes around every time Chad shows up!"

"You guys," Sonny said from the table, drawing Chad's attention. "It's the school bell. It means it's time to go to class."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Sonny," 'Tawni' argued, waving her hand around in 'as if' manner after Chad grabbed her wrist. "You just want us to think it's the school bell because you're jealous of Chad's attention."

"Why, yes I am," Sonny confirmed on her own accord, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

Chad's mouth opened in shock after hearing Sonny say the words that would fit in perfectly with his made-up conversation. Was she hearing his voice? Did she know what was going on? How come she wasn't yelling at him yet?

While the jerk throb was pondering the situation, Tawni climbed to her feet. He moved as far away from her as possible, squishing Zora between his body and the couch as he feared for his life. Tawni was awake - his fun time was over. She was going to yell at him for being in the Prop House and…and…

"I've never ever been to public school," she sang, stepping backwards in time with the words.

"What - what are you doing?" Chad asked, getting to his feet as well. He approached the actress, surprised to see her eyes were still tightly knit. "Are you…singing…in your sleep?!"

"She's trying to tell us how miserable she feels," Sonny answered Chad's question.

"I never thought that it would be this cruel," Tawni sang another line, tossing her face into Chad's at the last word.

"She's trying to tell me how miserable she feels by singing about it?" Chad asked, taking a huge step back.

"Looks like it," Sonny confirmed.

Truth be told, Chad was starting to freak out. Sonny was answering all his questions, even though she was supposedly asleep. Tawni was dancing and singing - with her eyes shut. Thinking that perhaps the girls were going crazy, Chad went back to Nico and Grady, resuming his first activity: Giving Grady the wedgies he deserved.

Before he could do more than kneel between the boys, Sonny extended her hand like she was waiting for someone to take it. She climbed onto the table she had been using as a pillow, standing at her full height. Chad jumped to his own feet when Nico and Grady, in zombie-like slowness, stood up as well, Zora doing the same.

Had the Randoms finally lost it? They were dancing - DANCING - in their sleep!!

Chad watched from a safe distance as the Randoms took turns standing on the table, the couch, and any other high surface. They spun, they did cartwheels. Four of them squeezed onto the couch behind Grady as he sang about all the different wedgies (which Chad was happy to demonstrate on him).

Finally, Nico and Grady collapsed on the floor again, Tawni and Zora overtook the couch, and Sonny sat down in her chair. As suddenly as the musical number had begun, it was over.

"Well…that was very…random," Chad commented.

"We just made all of that up," Sonny bragged.

"With no rehearsal!" Tawni supported her cast member.

"Really?" Chad asked the sleeping room. "I guess that explains why it was just as horrible as the skits on your show!"

He laughed at his own joke before running to Sonny, cupping her chin in his palm.

"Our skits are just as good as the ones on Mackenzie Falls," 'Sonny' said. "You need to learn how to stop being a stupid, conceited, blah blah blah…" Rolling his eyes, Chad went back to his normal voice instead of the falsetto he used as Sonny's. "I'm sick of listening to you, Munroe. Let's put you somewhere I won't have to hear you."

Without another word, Chad picked his rival up, cradling her in his arms bridal style. He glanced around the room, trying to think of a place he could put her body.

His eyes landed on the sarcophagus. The Randoms were dreaming about being in high school, right? The sarcophagus was small, tiny, and tight - just like a locker in an average hallway.

Smiling, feeling proud of his comparison between the two items, Chad stuffed Sonny's lifeless body into the sarcophagus.

"Wait!" she cried at the last second, just as Chad began to close the door. "Why are you putting me in a locker?"

"Hey, don't question Chad Dylan Cooper's actions," Chad told her, pointing a threatening finger at her chest. "Don't worry, Sonny. It's not like I'm treating you any differently than the others. If you had more sarcophaguses in here, I'd put all of you in them!"

He slammed the door shut, not allowing Sonny a chance to say anything else. He turned around, dusting his hands off as though he had just accomplished something amazing.

For once in his life, Chad was happy he had chosen to listen to the annoying voice in the back of his mind instead of the one telling him to go home tonight. Messing with the Randoms was so much more fun!

* * *

An hour or more had passed and not one of the five actors had woke up yet. Chad was still having as much fun as possible with them. Sonny was out of the sarcophagus and seated on the couch between Tawni and Zora. Nico and Grady were squeezed on at either end. Chad walked in front of them drill-sergeant style, some sort of mini catapult in his hands (Author's Note: Zora's cold-cut catapult from season one).

"So," he said while pacing before the lifeless cast. "Is there anyone here who dares to say they think So Random is better than Mackenzie Falls?"

"I think Mackenzie Falls is-," 'Sonny' started to say.

"Nobody wants to hear your wrong opinion, Munroe," Chad sighed, flinging a crumpled up piece of paper at her head. He was surprised when she let out a real, "Ow!"

"Come on, people," Chad went on with his game. "Isn't there anyone brave enough to step forward and announce their true feelings toward Chad Dylan Cooper? Where's my usual throng of fan girls who are never afraid to show me a little bit of love?"

"We're right here!" Tawni exclaimed without Chad's help.

"I love you, too!" Chad played along, pretending Tawni was truly answering his question. His eyes turned toward Sonny. "I love all of you…"

He cleared his thoart, trying to get back on track with the game.

"As I was saying…Either speak now and admit Mackenzie Falls is better than So Random or prepare to face the consequences!"

All five Randoms began screaming his name, waving their arms about like they were trying to get his attention. At first, Chad was stunned by their reactions (what could be happening in their dream now??), but it didn't take him long to dismiss the shouting as cheering.

"You're too late. You've made fun of Chad Dylan Cooper for too many years to redeem yourselves now," he said, loading another crumpled paper ball on the catapult. "All…of…you…will…SUFFER!"

With every word he said, he shot a new ball, hitting each actor one by one. First Tawni, then Zora. Nico next, followed shortly by Grady until finally, Sonny took her second wave.

When soft groans filled the room, sure signs of the Randoms finally waking from their dreams, Chad panicked. He couldn't leave them all on the couch - they would know someone had been in the room! He scrambled around as fast he could, trying to remember the exact positions he had found the Randoms in. Knocking Tawni and Zora over like bowling pins, he left them on the couch. He sprawled Nico and Grady on the floor, letting Grady roll into what seemed to be a very sore pose. Picking up Sonny, he sat her back at the table, taking a few extra seconds to fix her hair.

As everyone began moving their limbs, Chad took off running into the hallway, wanting to get as far from the Prop House as possible.

There was one important rule about being Chad Dylan Cooper: He was famous and could do whatever he wanted to anyone he wanted to do it to. The catch was that, not under any circumstances, was he allowed to be caught red-handed.

Thankfully, he was in his car and down the street by the time Sonny's eyes finally fluttered open. Once again, Chad was in the safe zone, leaving behind five unsuspecting comedians.

Author's Note: Just to make sure I didn't confuse anyone, all of the lines that the Randoms said (not the ones Chad forced them into saying) were really in the episode - I just totally took them out of context to better fit Chad's fun. Sonny was never awake through any of this, even though she did seem to be answering Chad's questions. Not even I know why they only said certain parts of the dream out loud…USE YOUR IMAGINATION!!!!!!

Anyway, before I was given permission to steal this scene, I came up with another one for this episode. Since there is no new episode next week, how would you guys like two parts for High School Miserable? This, of course, was the first part. IF you guys would like me to write what I came up with as well, it would be a continuation of this. In other words, it would take place after the dream with the Randoms having no idea Chad was in their Prop House the entire time.

So, in your review, please tell me:

No, I think you should keep things the way it is and make this episode a one-shot like all the others.

Yes, you should totally do a part two!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One last thing to thank you guys for saying you liked the song last chapter (my Mom is the poet in the family. It's kind of funny because I can't write poetry and she can't write stories), here is a video Disney Channel UK released for swac season two. If you haven't seen it yet, I would watch it. They got more channy moments than us!!

Http : // www . youtube . com / watch ? v = bbshWa7JCYo&feature = player_embedded

Thanks once again everyone!!


	27. Episode 26: High School Miserable Part 2

WHAT?? There was no Channy in part one of High School Miserable?! Did you not read the part where Chad looked right at Sonny and said, "I love you, too! I love all of you…" Excuse me, but I think that's Channy right there. Haha, just messing around with Alan92 a little bit, everyone. I know I didn't have a lot of Channy during my last update because I was going for humor more than Channy that time. Don't worry; this time I'm back to the Channy awesomeness.

Oh my goodness…You guys are all so nice!! Not even one of you said no to a part two - most of you even encouraged me to write one!! That is AMAZING. This chapter goes out to anyone who has reviewed/favorited/or just simply read the story to this point. Thank you all so much for supporting the first story I ever submitted!!

Disclaimer: If I owned swac, I would be able to explain why Mr. Condor sent the entire So Random cast to public school. Doesn't it seem strange to anyone that that was their punishment? How many bosses do that when they fire their casts? "You people complain too much…Go to public school!" Oh well…I guess that's why they leave the script writing to the professionals.

Episode 26:

High School Miserable

Part 2

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Attend Public School**

Chad's jaw dropped when he opened his dressing room door and found four Randoms standing on the other side.

"What…Why…HOW did you get on my set?!" he demanded. "You're still on my Do Not Admit wall. A security guard should've stopped you from coming here!"

"We need your help with something," Tawni replied, ignoring his question.

"And apparently I need better security," Chad shot back.

He tried shutting his door, but four bodies pressed against it, fighting as hard as they could to keep it open.

"Don't shut us out! I have a hatchet and I know how to use it!" Zora threatened.

"We aren't even the ones who need your help," Nico explained. "Sonny is."

The Randoms nearly fell flat on their faces when Chad stopped trying to close the door.

"Sonny?" he repeated, his voice going high. "What does she need my help with? Is she alright?!" When blank stares met his questions, he cleared his throat, making sure to lower his tone. "What I meant to ask was why you're telling me. Chad Dylan Cooper doesn't help others."

"I told you he wouldn't do it," Grady sighed, beginning to walk away.

"Trust me, he's not getting off the hook that easily," Tawni said, grabbing the back of Grady's shirt. "Something's wrong with Sonny. She won't talk to any of us so we can't figure out what's bugging her. All she does is sit in her dressing room all day long."

"What does that have to do with me?" Chad asked.

"Usually when Sonny's mad, it's because of something you did," Nico explained. "We need you to go to her dressing room and apologize for whatever you did to put her in such a bad mood."

"I didn't do anything to make her angry," Chad protested, his eyes swirling toward Tawni. "Why do you care if she's upset anyway? I thought you hated her."

"We share a dressing room. I can't concentrate on telling myself how pretty I look with Sonny sitting on the other side of the room, muttering words I don't even understand."

"Maybe she's trying to tell you that you're really not that pretty."

Tawni gasped, both her hands going up to cover her mouth. Behind her, Nico and Grady shook their heads, knowing from experience what happened when someone said a remark about Tawni not being as pretty as she thought she was.

"I can't believe you just said that!"

"I'm also going to say goodbye." Chad waved to his rivals as the door began sliding shut. "Sonny is your cast mate, so it's your job to fix her. Not mine."

"Get him!" Zora's voice cried out savagely.

Before the door could completely shut, Nico and Grady reached inside. A few minutes of struggling later, they each had one of Chad's arms. There wasn't anything the Mackenzie Falls star could do as the boys led him toward their set.

"Let go of me! No one drags Chad Dylan Cooper! If you don't unhand me this minute, I'm going to call my lawyers!!"

Every other threat he could think of left his lips, but not one of them seemed to frighten the Randoms. They kept pulling him along until reaching the dressing room Chad had been inside many times before. Tawni and Zora held open the door proudly while Nico and Grady brought Chad in. Two seconds after setting him free, the two boys ran out, slamming the door behind them. When Chad tried the knob, it was locked.

He was stuck. Alone. With Sonny Munroe sitting at her vanity, oblivious to his presence.

For some reason, Sonny seemed to be in an almost trance-like state, her eyes focused on her reflection and nothing else. Chad wasn't even sure she realized there was someone in the room with her. Her eyes were open wide and red-rimmed. Not the red they became after crying, but rather from lack of sleep. Her lips were moving quickly, although like Tawni had warned, Chad couldn't make out a word she was saying. She was sitting down, but her entire body was moving back and forth in the chair, almost wild enough to make Chad wonder how she hadn't fallen to the floor yet.

"Sonny?" Chad asked nervously.

As though she couldn't hear him, Sonny went on rocking and mumbling, never glancing at Chad. Unsure what else to do, he reached out, gently poking her arm.

It was like someone had placed a bomb under Sonny and Chad set it off when he touched her. She jumped to her feet, knocking the chair over in the process. Those big brown eyes landed on Chad and before he could more than say, "Sorry, I didn't mean to-,", she was screaming at the top of her lungs.

Chad wasn't sure what to do. He knew the rest of the Randoms were going to run in at any second, blaming him for hurting their cast member. He had to get her to shut up. If her friends went to their director and told him Chad had deliberately hurt Sonny and word got back to Mr. Condor, Chad could get fired from the Falls. He wasn't giving up his career for Miss I'm-going-to-scream-bloody-murder Munroe.

Closing the distance between their bodies, Chad threw his hand over Sonny's mouth. She kept screaming. Having no idea what else to do, Chad spun the brunette around, holding her against his chest tightly. With one hand still covering her mouth, the other wrapped at her waist so she had no chance of escaping, Chad started whispering in her ear.

"Shh," he said. "You're safe now. I'm not going to let anything hurt you."

It took a long time, but eventually the yelling came to an end. Chad could feel Sonny's breath on his hand. It came out in short puffs as her chest heaved in and out, in and out. Her body shook beneath him just as it had done while sitting in front of her mirror. Chad let his lips graze against her neck. The gesture was enough to convince her to talk.

"Sorry for freaking out on you like that," she apologized, still breathing too heavily. "Where did you learn to calm people down so well?"

"My Mom," Chad replied. "I would wake up from a nightmare, unable to stop screaming. She would come into my room and lay in bed with me, holding me the same way I just did you. She whispered the same words I told you, and finished everything off by giving me a reassuring kiss."

"You used to have nightmares?" Sonny's face screwed up in the cute way it always did. "You've lived in Hollywood your entire life. Your life has been perfect. What could you possibly have nightmares about?"

"Monsters under my bed. Huge hairy spiders. So Random beating Mackenzie Falls," Chad listed. "You know, just the normal things all kids have nightmares about."

"Did your Mom ever let go of you when she was done comforting?"

Sonny nodded down to the hand Chad still had around her waist. Feeling his face begin to change colors, Chad let go of her, pretending to fix his hair so he could avoid meeting Sonny's eyes. He didn't have anything to worry about. Sonny picked up the fallen chair, sighed deeply, then sat down in the same orange chair Chad had found her in when he gave his condolences for Gassie's death.

Her chocolate eyes stared up at him expectantly.

"So…" Chad had no idea what to say now. "Your friends told me you haven't been acting like your old perky, annoying self lately?"

"I haven't been," Sonny confirmed, waving her hand in the air like she was brushing off the words. "It's a long story though…I'm sure you don't want to hear it."

"Awh, Sonny…You know me so well!" Without another word, Chad turned to leave. "Well…I guess I'll just…catch you later?"

"Yeah. Later. Sounds good."

Even as Chad backed up, leaving behind the Random, he couldn't stop himself from glancing at her after every few steps. Sonny had one arm on the back of the chair so she could lean her cheek against her palm, the other resting on her knee. Her lips pressed together in a grim line instead of her usual smile. Something about the glint in her eyes made Chad wonder if she was about to start crying.

Despite the fact he had been kidnapped and Chad never did favors for others, he felt his heart breaking. Something was really bothering Sonny and he was going to find out what-

-Even if it meant listening to her ramble for the next few minutes straight.

"Alright, Munroe. I have work to get done over at the Falls," Chad said as he sat in the rainbow chair beside Sonny (who had designed her room anyway? Somebody with no fashion sense, apparently. The chairs did not match each other at all). "I'll listen to your funny little story. Just try to speed it along, alright?"

"Deal," Sonny agreed, leaning closer to Chad in her excitement of finally having someone to talk to. "Ok, so get this. The other night, my cast mates and I were all complaining about some of the stuff going on with our show. You know, like the fact our schedule became a lot earlier and that they take Tawni's dog away every day when she arrives at the studio and how no one seems to understand my desire for Wisconsin cheese." At this point, Sonny folded her arms over her chest as she thought back to the 'cheese incident'. "Anyway, I suggested we write a letter to Mr. Condor about our complaints, and the next thing I knew, all of us were waking up from the same dream where we got fired from our show and thrown into public school!"

"Hold up. Did this dream happen a few nights ago while you were in the Prop House?"

"Yeah, it did!" Sonny seemed happy Chad knew that fact until she caught on to what he was really saying. "Wait…How did you know we fell asleep in the Prop House?"

"I knew because…" Chad's eyes darted around the room, giving him a chance to think. "I knew because you said the dream happened at night. It doesn't make sense for your entire cast to meet in a dressing room, and the commissary is closed at night. Therefore, the Prop House was the only place it could have taken place."

A puzzled expression crossed Sonny's features as she considered his answer. Chad smiled at her the entire time she thought, hoping he wasn't giving too much away. The last thing he wanted to do was admit he knew all about the dream because he had been in the Prop House at the same time, messing around with the lifeless bodies. He had a feeling the Randoms wouldn't be very happy if they knew that fact.

"If that's the whole story, then I guess I should be leaving-,"

Sonny reached for Chad's arm when he climbed to his feet, pulling him back down.

"Don't leave yet! I haven't even told you why I've been acting weird lately!" She glanced in every direction, keeping both hands on Chad's arm as she leaned her face close to his, lowering her voice to a whisper. "I'm afraid the dream is going to come true."

Chad stared at Sonny, wondering if he had misunderstood her. "You're afraid you're going to write an angry letter to Mr. Condor and get fired because of it?"

"No! My cast and I talked about it and decided we're not writing Mr. Condor the letter after all."

"Then you're afraid of going to public school?" Sonny nodded, letting Chad know he was right. "But…You've been to public school before. What would be so bad about going back?"

"That dream made me remember how horrible public school is! There are bullies, strict principals, Goth people, small lockers that people will you put you in and not let you of until hours later…" Sonny shuddered at the very thought. "After living out my dream for this long, I honestly don't think I could survive through public school again."

Chad chuckled, placing a reassuring hand on Sonny's shoulder.

"I know exactly how you feel," he said, locking their eyes in all seriousness. "This one time, I too went to public school."

Sonny's mouth fell agape.

"No way," she said, shaking her head back and forth. "No way, no way, no way. You, Chad Dylan Cooper, the guy who thinks he's the greatest actor of our generation, went to _public school_?!" She sat cross-legged, leaning forward in anticipation. "This is a story I HAVE to hear!"

"There's not much to tell. I walked in, was disgusted when I saw all the dirt in the hallway, hated the cafeteria food, met a girl named Martha who tried to give me a wedgie…I never went back to that school again."

For the first time since Chad had come into the room, Sonny was smiling. She stood up from her chair, heading to the dressing room door.

"Where are you going?" Chad called after her. "I thought you were too freaked out about your dream coming true to do anything besides sit in here and cower?"

"Thanks to you, I'm not afraid anymore," Sonny replied, flashing Chad a huge grin. "I mean, if you can survive in a public school, even if it was only for one day, I'm sure I could make if I ever get fired!"

Chad was going to say something smart to get back at the brunette, but she was speaking again before he could say a word.

"Um, Chad?" She twisted the doorknob. "Why can't I get out?"

"Oh, your friends locked the door to make sure I wouldn't leave." Standing beside Sonny, Chad easily pushed her out of the way. "Step aside and let a man take care of this."

Chad stood as far away from the door as he could, then ran, picking up speed as he went, protruding his shoulder so it would be the first thing to hit the wood. He was going so fast; his eyes clamped shut as he prepared for the pain he may feel upon impact.

He never noticed as the door swung open. The wall on the other side of the hall was what his body finally slammed into, ending up with one sore actor lying on the floor. When his eyes popped open, the first thing he saw was Nico, Grady, Tawni, and Zora all laughing their heads off. Sonny's face was a mixture between horror and a desire to join in with her friends.

"We would have opened the door if you asked us to," Grady said, trying to hold in his laughter long enough to talk.

"We're so glad you didn't ask though!" Tawni added her opinion, pointing a finger at Chad as she continued with her laughing fit.

Sonny was the only one who knelt at Chad's side, putting her hand on his forehead.

"Are you ok?" she inquired. "I don't see any blood…Did you hit your head? Do you see any spots? Can you tell me what my name is?"

"Chad Dylan Cooper doesn't need your sympathy."

He climbed to his feet, only to find everything around him was spinning in fast circles. Much to the amusement of the Randoms, he almost fell over again. Sonny caught him first, supporting his body with her own as she helped him back to his set, which was where she sat with him for the next few hours, keeping a wet washcloth on his head. She refused to let him drive home that night and he was just as defiant when she suggested he make a trip to the emergency room.

The end result was both teens spending the night in Chad's dressing room, falling asleep after several hours of watching Mackenzie Falls.

Earlier that day, Sonny had been terrified every time her thoughts went back to the nightmare of returning to public school. She had let if scare her so much that she let it take over, becoming a whole different person.

As she sat beside Chad on his couch, watching as the jerk throb slept peacefully, she realized the only thing that scared her now was the feeling that overcame her body. She wasn't sure exactly what the feeling was…

But she knew she shouldn't be having it for her enemy.

Author's Note: There it is. My first attempt at a two-shot for this story. You guys should be thankful I was able to steal that idea for part one or else this would have been all you got to read.

So, who saw the new promo for The Legend of Candy Face last night?! *raises hand as high as she can* Who saw the Channy hug?!? *raises hand again* Hehe…I'm already excited for this episode and it's still almost a week away!! Who's with me?!

Hmm…I almost feel bad starting this contest now, but I don't want to wait too long and have it pass me by. Whoever the 200th reviewer is (whether it happens this chapter or not until a few down the road) will receive a special prize!! Like I said, I'm not the greatest at picking prizes, but I have something in mind this time. What am I thinking?

I guess you'll find out once we hit 200!!

Once again, thank you to everyone!!


	28. Episode 27: The Legend of Candy Face

I know, I know. This chapter is longer than most of the others. I could've divided it into two parts like I did last time, but…it wouldn't have flowed as well that way. Sorry if it's too much reading - Candy Face had WAY too many opportunities for Channy moments!! All the scenes I've added take place in this story the same order they would've been on TV had they been in the real episode. If anyone gets confused, please let me know in your review!!

Disclaimer: I might be going camping this summer for the first time, but I doubt I'll have as much fun as the So Random cast and the Falls!!

Episode 27:

The Legend of Candy Face

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not, Under Any Circumstances, Trust Randoms**

Sonny was not the one who came up with the idea. On the contrary, she tried telling her cast mates it was a horrible plan. But Nico, Grady, Tawni, and Zora were adamant about it, demanding Sonny head over to the Falls set since she was the only one without a picture on the Do Not Admit wall. Knowing she was doing the wrong thing, Sonny did as she was told in order to placate her friends.

It was tricky to make her way through the rival's stage without being seen by any of the dramatic actors. Normally, Sonny wouldn't mind having an extra fight with Chad (sometimes, she even found herself looking forward to the daily ritual simply because it gave her a break from the stress of writing new sketches), but if she spoke to Chad, she would have to explain what she was doing on his set. That was a question she would rather not explain.

Dressed in black from head to toe, Sonny made her way ninja-style to her destination. When she came across a slew of Falls members practicing together, she ran by the room when their backs faced her. After stealing some chocolate from the ever-flowing chocolate fountain, she hid under a table when she heard voices coming her way. As she passed Chad's dressing room, she tucked-and-rolled just before he opened the door, crawling away without letting the blonde actor see her. Feeling proud of her skills, Sonny tried kicking open the room with a nameplate that read Mackenzie Falls Director. To her surprise, the door actually swung open.

"Chad, if this is about the raise you requested, I-," The man sitting behind a huge desk shut his mouth when he spun his giant chair around. "Um…I don't remember hiring you…"

"Oh, that's because I work on So Random," Sonny explained, her voice peppy as she extended her hand, flashing the man her biggest smile. "My name's Sonny Munroe!" After receiving nothing but a blank stare as an answer, Sonny remembered the warning her cast mates had given her.

"You can't just skip into the room with that happy-go-lucky personality of yours," Tawni had said while copying Sonny's smile. Her face became somber again as she said, "Remember, you're representing all of us when you step inside that office!"

"Tawni's right," Nico agreed. "You need to be tough, Sonny. Otherwise, they'll never give us what we want."

_Tough, _Sonny reminded herself, bringing the arm that was still out-stretched to her side. Wiping the smile off her lips, she gave Chad's director what she hoped came out as a menacing look. He coiled back a tiny bit and Sonny had to remind herself not to laugh.

"Here's the deal," she said in the meanest voice she could muster, laying her hands flat on the man's desk, leaning her body in until they were face-to-face. "I need access to five Mackenzie Falls uniforms, the announcer who does all the Mackenzie Falls promos, and…anything else I would need to pull off a good Mackenzie Falls mockery."

"HA!" Sonny pulled away her head when the man laughed; his breath smelled highly of pickles. "Give me one good reason I would help you mock my show!"

Heading toward the door, Sonny poked her head out, looking both ways to make sure no one was standing nearby. Once she was sure she and the director were alone, she shut the door and made her way back to the desk.

"Let me put this in a language you'll understand." Reaching into her pocket, Sonny exerted several green bills, all of which she waved in the man's face. Lust filled his eyes instantly. "Help me out with my problem and there will plenty more of this stuff for you."

Apparently, the Mackenzie Falls director was just as vain as the actors who worked for him. He snatched the money from Sonny's fingers, promising to get her whatever supplies she needed to complete Mackenzie Stalls. The brunette headed to the Prop House with a new smile in place.

Tricking the Falls was _too_ easy.

* * *

She knew Mackenzie Stalls was a bad idea. Not only that; she knew it was a HORRIDNESS proposal! Still, she was the one who went against her gut feeling and did everything possible to receive the items needed to perform the sketch, including bribery, which, looking back at it, wasn't a deed she was proud of. She really should've known the director would warn Chad about the mockery, even though he promised to keep his lips shut. She also should have guessed Chad and his clones would want revenge.

That part was fair. It was wrong of the Randoms to perform the sketch in the first place, so the Falls deserved their retaliation. They did not, however, deserve to be tricked after their revenge was over and done with. Sonny was sick of the fighting and knew it wasn't going to end if she didn't do something to help it.

But what could she do? There was no chance of making peace while being at the studio, that much she was sure of. Both casts shot down the camping idea before really listening to it. _Actually, _Sonny thought, an idea beginning to form, _Who said everyone else gets to decide how we bond? If they don't want to take my suggestions or come up with any on their own…_

She eagerly got out a piece of paper and a pen, setting to work on a letter that began with the words:

Dear Mr. Condor…

* * *

"Come on, everyone!" Sonny clapped her hands enthusiastically, watching as her friends and the Falls actors began loading the same rickety bus. "This is going to be so much fun!"

"When does the fun part start?" Chad asked.

He stood close to Sonny, making sure his cast mates carried their luggage (and Chad's) onto the bus as they were supposed to be doing. Ms. Bitterman, who was acting as the chaperone, yawned loudly, showing her disinterested attitude.

"What are you talking about? The fun has already started!" Sonny replied, trying to sound convincing.

"I don't understand something," Grady said as he and Nico walked by, each of them lugging a suitcase. "Why do we have to travel with the Falls? Don't they have their own bus they can take?"

Sonny laughed nervously. She had prepared herself for a lot of questions - that wasn't one of them.

"We're all taking the same bus because…Um…" Nico and Grady weren't the only people staring at her, waiting for an answer. Somehow, everyone seemed to have heard the question and were gathering around to find out what the reply was going to be. If Sonny didn't think of something quick, they would know she was lying. "We're all taking the bus because I signed up for Friends for Change! Since we're all going to the same location anyway, I thought we could do our part in saving the ozone layer by taking one bus instead of two!!"

"Whoever isn't on the bus in the next two minutes is being left behind," Ms. Bitterman called from several feet away, her face stoic as she yelled at the teens. "Let's move!"

Everyone began scrambling to get their belongings in place and their bodies in a good seat. Sonny watched proudly from her front seat position, only speaking up once the bus started down the road and no one would be able to exit.

"Who's excited as I am for this camping trip?!?"

Several shouts of agreement followed her words until-

"Wait a minute," Ferguson spoke over the voices. "Did you just say camping trip? I thought we were on our way to an out-of-state award show?"

"An award show?" Nico repeated. "No, Sonny told us we were going on a trip to promote our shows!"

Every head turned toward Sonny, who returned the glares with a huge smile.

"Well, I couldn't tell you guys where we were really going. I wanted it to be a surprise!" She laughed in her cute way, shrugging her shoulders innocently. "Weren't you all surprised?!"

Tawni, who was sitting closer to her co-star than anyone else, plastered a fake grin on before sidling up to the Wisconsinite.

"You DEFINENTLY surprised me, Sonny! Let me return the favor." Reaching across Sonny's body, Tawni pulled down the window. "Your surprise is learning how much it hurts after being throw off a moving vehicle!"

The rest of the bus ride was spent with Sonny trying to avoid the hands that wanted to remove her from the bus. Despite her pleas for help, Ms. Bitterman sat with her attention focused on her own window, earphones in to help drown out any noise going on around her.

_Some chaperone! _Sonny thought as she ducked under a seat, swatting away any hands that came near her. _At least I know how much she really cares about her students!_

Eventually, once the attack on Sonny was over, a phone call was made to Mr. Condor to make sure the camping trip really was essential. He told them it was and then set the rules for it. The bus turned around and headed back to the studio, giving everyone an hour to pack the correct camping materials.

Sonny spent her hour cowered under the seat, too afraid to move.

* * *

Sonny knew she had a sleep-walking problem. She and Lucy had so many sleepovers together as little girls, it was impossible for Sonny not to know. Lucy always made sure to wake up as soon as she heard Sonny stirring, grabbing a video camera and showing the tape to her once morning arrived. Even in the new Hollywood apartment, Connie Munroe kept everything clean so Sonny could roam without tripping over something.

Too bad she forgot about that fact when she suggested going camping. Now, with two casts already fed up with her, she was supposed to admit she was the one going around breaking their belongings?

Yeah, right. That wasn't going to happen. No WAY was that going to happen. Even if she had to hunt herself (which sounded like a strong possibility as she sat in the Mack Falls tent, listening to the Candy Face hunting strategies being brainstormed), she would think of a way to keep anyone from discovering the truth. Not one soul was going to find out she was Candy Face!!!!

With the excitement of Candy Face weapon building occurring bright and early in the morning, dramatic actors and comedians alike found it hard to fall asleep. Once eyes finally began closing, Sonny sat alone, her knees drawn to her chest.

_I can't fall asleep. I can't fall asleep, _she chanted, rocking back and forth gently. _Everyone would freak if they caught me strolling around as Candy Face! I can keep my eyes open until morning. It's only a few hours away. I can do this. I can do this. I can-_

A hand on her shoulder was what broke Sonny's train of encouragement, sending the normally happy girl into a screaming fit. She stopped when a hand covered her mouth.

"Geez, Munroe!" a voice she recognized only too well said. "Do you think you could scream any louder?"

"Like you're one to talk, Cooper," Sonny protested, easily pushing away the jerk throb's hand. "Your scream is almost shrill enough to match mine."

"My scream isn't that shrill."

"You're right; it's actually shriller than mine."

Instead of heading back to his air mattress (yes, the Mackenzie Falls personal had brought air mattresses to keep their sleeping bags on, yet another unfair luxury), Chad sat down beside Sonny. She was more than a little surprised, but she tried to hide that fact by keeping her gaze straight ahead, avoiding eye contact. In a similar style to her, Chad drew his own knees to his chest, encircling his arms around them.

All fell silent throughout the huge tent besides the breathing of two casts.

"So…" Chad finally broke the silence.

"So…" Sonny repeated him, drawing the word out as Chad had done. "Don't you think we should save this talk for the morning? We'll probably wake someone up if we continue now."

"We won't wake up anyone on my show. They can sleep through anything."

"How do you know they can sleep that strongly?"

"Need I remind you again, Sonny? I know people and, for the moment, each member of my cast is stuck in a deep slumber."

"Just because you think you know people doesn't really mean-,"

Cutting off Sonny's rant, Chad took one of the slippers from his feet. Showing it to Sonny long enough to receive an 'What am I supposed to be noticing?' glance, Chad threw the slipper into the air. Sonny watched, horrified, as it struck Skylar's head.

"Chad, how could you do something like that?! Now he's going to wake up, which is going to cause everyone else to wake up, and then-,"

"Shh," Chad shushed her, putting a finger to his lips. "Tell me what you hear right now."

"I hear nothing…Well, except the crickets outside the tent."

"Exactly."

Feeling slightly confused, Sonny stared at Chad, wondering if he had finally gone crazy. The actor nodded toward Skylar, who was hugging the slipper to his chest as though it was a teddy bear. His eyes stayed tightly knit.

"Ohh, I get it. You were proving your cast can sleep through anything," Sonny caught on, smiling as Chad clicked his tongue at her, signaling she was right. "Well, in that case, we have nothing to worry about. Tawni, Zora, Nico, and Grady can all sleep pretty soundly, too. I mean, if I can sneak out of the tent without them hearing me…"

"Why would you need to sneak out of the tent?"

"I don't know if I really sneak or not. See, last night when I went out, I had no idea what I was doing because I was really sleep-,"

Sonny stopped just in time, knowing a deep blush was overtaking her cheeks. She almost admitted to being Candy Face!!

"Sleep talking," Sonny finished her story lamely. "Yeah…I left the tent, but I was only half awake, so I kept talking to myself the entire time. I guess I needed to…use the…bathroom or something, you know?"

If Chad had been fully focused on the conversation, he may have question Sonny's tale. As it was, Hollywood's bad boy had something else on his mind - a something else he wanted to talk about but had no idea how to bring up.

_Stupid camping trip! _he thought bitterly. _If I could have one of my scripts to help me out, I would know exactly what to say. All of life's important conversations have happened on my show! One of them would be able to tell me how to start!_

A gentle touch on his arm brought Chad back to reality. Sonny gave him a weak smile.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

"Only a penny? I know you make more money than that, Munroe. How about, 'A hundred for your thoughts?'"

"It's an expression, Chad. I'm not really going to pay you so you'll tell me your problems."

"Why not? I'm Chad Dylan Cooper. Any other girl in the entire universe would _love_ knowing what's on my mind."

"In case you have noticed, I'm not just 'any other girl in the entire universe'."

Her anger flaring up, Sonny started climbing to her feet, ready to leave Chad and rejoin her friends. She stopped when she felt a hand tugging her sleeve.

"I know you're different than the other girls," Chad said, his voice softer than it had been moments ago. "I know that a little bit too well, probably."

When Chad's hand stayed where it was, his eyes staring pleadingly at the Random, she had no choice but to sit beside him. Darn her niceness!

Once Sonny was seated, her foot tapping impatiently as she waited for something to happen, Chad fell silent again. He stayed that way long enough to make Sonny wonder why he begged her to rejoin him if he wasn't going to say anything else. Just as she was opening her mouth to say she was going to sleep-

"That was some hug earlier."

Her body heat rising, Sonny determinedly kept her eyes locked on the disco ball dangling above her head.

"That hug was fake."

"Was not."

"Chad…Do you actually think I would really hug you?"

Chad glowered down at his rival, remembering the night she said that same line to him, interchanging one little word.

"Ok, you might be able to fake kiss someone by slapping your hand over their mouth when no one is looking," he conceded, pointing a finger toward Sonny's chest. "But how can you fake a hug?"

"Like this!"

Sonny's arms wrapped around Chad's shoulders, disappearing two seconds later. She smiled smugly.

"See? That was a fake hug because I didn't really hug you. I was only doing it to prove a point, which made it fake."

"What's the definition of a hug, Sonny?"

"I don't know the exact meaning-,"

"Hug," Chad recited sternly. "To put your arms around somebody's body and hold the person tight."

"Wow…Somebody's been watching too many romance films."

"No, somebody's trying to win a fight. Did you or did you not just put your arms around my body and hold me tight?"

"I don't think it's possible to hold someone tight for the amount of time that hug lasted."

"A simple yes or no will suffice."

"Fine. Yes, I put my arms around you and held you tightly."

Chad grinned as he concluded, "According to the official definition, you did give me a hug, Munroe. Not a fake one, either. A true, genuine hug."

Unable to think of anything to beat Chad's logic but not wanting to sound like an idiot, Sonny threw her hands into the air helplessly.

"Why does it matter to you if the hug was fake or not? Are you trying to tell me Chad Dylan Cooper actually cares if Sonny Munroe hugged him or if she fake hugged him?"

There was no answer as Chad diverted his gaze.

"Oh my gosh…You really do care, don't you?" Sonny could feel her smile broadening. "Chad Dylan Cooper cares about someone other than himself! Chad Dylan Cooper has feelings! Chad Dylan Cooper-,"

"Is going to deny this conversation ever happened."

Even in the dark, Chad could easily watch as Sonny's mouth fell agape.

"Sorry, but it won't look good for my reputation if everyone thinks there's one girl I like hugging more than any others. I'll lose fans and CDC can't afford for that to happen."

It was amazing how fast Chad could switch from nice to harmful. One moment, he was admitting he cared if Sonny gave him a real hug versus a fake one. The next, he was rubbing it in her face that no one could ever know he cared because his precious female fan base may drop a few members.

"I'm going to bed," Sonny muttered, trying once again to stand.

For the second time, Chad gently pulled the brunette down, staring her straight in the eyes. Sonny could feel her heart fluttering, knew the butterflies were pressing at her stomach, trying to force their way out. She was thankful for the curtain of darkness surrounding her. Otherwise, Chad would've been able to take in the furious blush she knew rested on her cheeks.

"Sonny…I may not want everyone knowing about the discussion we just shared, but that doesn't mean I don't understand why you hugged me earlier. You're scared of Candy Face and you want to make sure someone will always be there to protect you." Chad took Sonny's hands in his, never dropping their locked eyes. "I meant what I said to you. I really will save you if anything goes wrong."

Sonny was too tongue-tied to form a coherent response. Taking advantage of her silence, Chad hugged her tighter than before, a warmth flooding through both of their veins that made them crave for more.

How was Sonny ever going to come clean about being the monster Chad vowed to save her from?

* * *

She was going to fall asleep. She could feel her eyelids shutting and there was nothing she could do about it. Even throwing water over her face hadn't helped!! After her late night talk with Chad and spending the rest of the hours until daybreak going through sketches in her head to keep from slumbering, it was no wonder Sonny was feeling the pressures of deprivation pounding down on her.

It didn't matter how tired Sonny grew. She couldn't chance going into another sleep-walking rampage and destroying more of the luggage everyone had brought on the trip. What she needed was something able to keep her awake. Some sort of distraction that would force her eyes to stay open…

Pulling her cell phone from her pocket, Sonny did the one thing she always found herself doing when she needed something: texting Chad.

_Hey,_ she wrote before sending another one upon not getting an instant reply. _Are you still awake?_

**Now I am, thanks to you.**

_Sorry. I'm on Candy Face watch. It's kind of boring out here all alone._

**No worries; I'll take care of your problem.**

Wondering what Chad could possibly have up his sleeve, Sonny danced on the balls of her feet as she waited. A few minutes later, her phone was going off, only this time, it was an email instead of text message. Recognizing Chad's name as the sender, Sonny opened her mail quickly, finding a link inside.

"Really, Chad?" she asked the night air while she waited for the new website to load. "You really sent me a video? How is that supposed to keep me awake? Don't most people fall asleep while they watch TV late at night?"

Shortly after, the link was loaded. Sonny didn't have to watch a minute of the program to recognize what it was: Chad had given her access to every episode of Mackenzie Falls.

_Not funny, Cooper!!_

**Neither are you, Munroe. Next time, let me sleep without bothering me. Peace out, sucker!**

Sonny was tempted to throw her cell phone at the Mackenzie Falls tent, hoping the door would be open and somehow it would fly straight into Chad's forehead.

* * *

Candy Face wasn't real. He was a myth, just as Chad predicted from the beginning. Sonny was the one who convinced him the creature was real. Sonny was the one who hugged him and tricked him into thinking she had really been attacked.

Sonny was the one who was going to pay.

It wasn't the first time Chad had been tricked by the newest member of So Random. There had been the time Sonny played against him in musical chairs, falling and pretending to hurt her ankle. Then, of course, was when he dressed up as Eric and Sonny got him to admit he cared about her. Now, after demanding two casts who hated each other go on a bonding camping trip, a trip she _lied_ during, a lie that not only made Chad believe she was telling the truth but all the other teens as well…

That was taking it a step too far. Sonny wasn't getting off the hook this time. Not if Chad had anything to do about it, anyway.

There was yet another smile on Sonny's face as she ushered everyone toward the bus for the ride home. Chad stayed behind her the entire time, his hands folded over his chest. He knew Sonny was perfectly aware of him; one sign was the fact she refused to look over her shoulder. She waited for everyone to load up and climb inside, rushing to follow after them.

She was forced to stop when Chad latched onto her elbow.

"Oh, hey, Chad!" she greeted, her voice chirping. "Do you need help getting your bags onboard?"

"You really did fake hug me."

"Look, this really isn't the time to talk about this-,"

"I trusted you, Sonny, alright? I trusted you to use my promise for good. And instead, I wake up in the middle of the night to find this-," Chad held up the candy that had been stuck to Sonny's face during her discovery. "All over your face! Do you have an alibi?"

"I-,"

"LIAR!" Throwing the candy to the ground, Chad squished it beneath his boot. "Not only did you lie about Candy Face being real, but you hugged me because of your lie. You were allowed to touch the great Chad Dylan Cooper - a feat only a select few will ever reach - due to your deception. Do you know what this means, Munroe?"

"That one day, we're going to have a funny story to look back on and laugh at?"

"Not quite." Stepping closer to Sonny, Chad shook his head in sorrow. "It means that whatever bonding took place during this trip has officially been forgotten. You've proven to me I can't trust you, Sonny, which means there's no way any of you Randoms can be trusted. Consider the feud between our shows still very much alive."

For a reason Chad didn't understand, there was a grin, an actual grin, on Sonny's face. He was to the part of his speech when she was supposed to start arguing with him that the bonding couldn't be erased so easily and blah blah blah. Why was she happy instead of livid?

"You know what, Chad? It doesn't bother me if the feud is still alive. Maybe it should, but it doesn't. Do you want to know why it doesn't?" She pressed on without waiting for an answer. "It doesn't matter in the least because I found out something very important over the course of these three days: You care about my hugs more than you care about the ones you get from anyone else."

When Chad's mouth dropped, Sonny closed it for him, tossing her hair impeccably as she turned toward the bus. Twirling to give him one last glance, she moved her pointer finger in a 'come here' style.

"What are you waiting for, Cooper?" she asked, lowering her voice in case anyone happened to overhear her. "Don't you want to come sit by Perky Face?"

Flushing red in embarrassment, Chad had no clue what to do next. Sonny laughed at his reaction, clutching at her sides to keep from falling to the ground. For the first time all morning, Chad felt his lips twitching upward.

By the time Sonny noticed Chad moving, it was too late. She tried climbing onto the bus, but only one foot made it onto the stairs before Chad was upon her, his hands encircling her waist as he picked her up, spinning her around in circles. Sonny protested, begging him to put her down, gasping for air and trying to control her laughter at the same time. Chad promised he would let her go as soon as she swore she would never say Perky Face again.

All in all, it was the best camping trip Sonny and Chad had ever gone on.

Author's Note: Congratulations! You made it through a nine page chapter. If you made it down this far and you're still reading right now, you should feel very proud of yourself. I really hope I didn't make this too long or lose any of you with the order the scenes happened. PLEASE let me know if you found a problem while you read!!

On a happier note, did you guys know that at the end of Sonny, Get Your Goat, I was asking for 100 reviews and now, four episodes later, you've gotten me all the way to 220?! That is AMAZING. I can feel it in my bones - this is going to be my first ever story to hit 300!!!! Want to know how I know that? Because I love all of you and know you have the power to take me that far. In a world where there's a new episode every Sunday this month, the fate of this story RESTS IN YOUR HANDS!!

A special shout-out to my 200th reviewer, MiaPatli'sBlackMoonroses: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING THE ONE TO GET ME TO 200!! And you should really find a way for us to talk since it won't let me PM you anymore. Your reviews are always so much fun to read!!

To mstwilight551: Thanks for taking the time to read and review pretty much every chapter over the course of a day or two. Do you know how excited I was when I got online and saw all your reviews in my email?!

Thanks to everyone who has read/reviewed/favorited and all that other good stuff!! You guys make staying up until 3:30 in the morning to write so much more fun than it used to be when I was the only person reading my stories!

Ohh yeah, I almost forgot! If you want to read the story TrinityFlower of Memories and I wrote based off this episode (it's nine chapters of what we thought might happen we put together after watching the clips released in January and some of the pictures we were given), check out our profile under the name !!!! Also, be on the look-out for our newest story, Sonny With A Chance of Not Sleeping (at least, that's the working title…it might change before it gets posted).

I think that's all I have to say…Review and let me know which of my scenes was your favorite?


	29. Episode 28: Gummy With A Chance

So, who's heard the good news?! Supposedly, (don't kill me if I'm wrong), Falling For the Falls will air on June 13, followed by part two on June 20. I don't know about you, but I am so ready for this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Disclaimer: I don't see why Nico and Grady decided to stop using Chad's gym. Who cares if he was only using them for their bodies? I'd let Chad use my body any day!!

Episode 28:

Gummy With A Chance

**Chad Dylan Cooper Doesn't Give Out Free Memberships To His Gym**

Sonny really needed to learn how to say no. If it wasn't for her desire to always do favors for people, she wouldn't be standing on the Mackenzie Falls set, watching anxiously in hopes Chad wouldn't stop by, wanting access to his dressing room. She had no idea what she would say to him if he did show up.

"Nico!" she hissed, opening the door a crack. "Grady! I told you I would only stand guard for half an hour!"

"It's only been a few minutes!" Nico called back, not bothering to keep his voice down even the tiniest bit.

"Correction: It's been an hour!" Thinking she heard footsteps, Sonny held her breath, refusing to speak until everything was absolutely silent. "Get out of there before it's too late!"

"We can't leave yet!" Grady argued. "I'm not tone toning my Chabs!"

The two boys were inside Chad's dressing room, taking advantage of the jerk throb's gym. Although Chad ended up using Nico and Grady to power his dressing room, the best friends didn't want to give up having a free place to exercise. The only problem was, after their bright idea to blow up half the merchandise in Chad's room, they were told never to return. Too cheap to pay for a membership at an actual gym, the boys asked Sonny to be their out-look every night while they snuck in a work-out.

"You have five minutes," Sonny warned. "After that, I'm leaving and you're on your own!"

"Who's on their own?"

Shutting the door quickly, Sonny pressed her body against it, spreading her arms as wide as they would go. Chad Dylan Cooper watched her, one eyebrow rising in suspicion. Not knowing what else to do, Sonny grinned.

"Hey, Chad! Have I told you lately how much I appreciate your acting?"

Normally, Chad would have played along with Sonny's little game, letting her think he believed her story (after all, as the greatest actor of his generation, he could make Sonny believe he was actually listening to her). He felt too tired now. It had been a long day at the Falls since it was a filming day, meaning the director wanted to get as many scenes finished as possible without taking breaks between them. All Chad wanted to do was go into his dressing room, grab the jacket he'd left inside, and head home for the night.

When he reached for the doorknob, Sonny's hand blocked his fingers from grasping it.

"Munroe." He spoke firmly, hoping the comedian would take the hint. "Step aside."

"Wouldn't you rather stay out here and chat with me for a few minutes? I mean, think about it, Chad. We're alone…It's just the two of us…In an empty hallway in the middle of the night…With no chance of anyone walking by and seeing us…"

As exhausted as he was, Chad felt his body tense as Sonny stepped away from the door, drawing herself closer to him. Wrapping her arms around the blonde's neck, Chad felt his lips smirking when he saw the attempted seductive smile on Sonny's face.

_Wow,_ he thought. _Whatever she's trying to hide must be big if she's willing to flirt in order to get rid of me!_

All desires to fall asleep disappearing the moment Sonny touched his skin, Chad decided if she wasn't going to let him go home and relax, he might as well have some fun while being held captive. A small gasp came from the actress when he put his hands on her waist, pulling her nearer.

"Oh, Sonny," Chad whispered, watching in delight as her mouth fell open. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

Seemingly too shocked to speak, Sonny was silent as her brown eyes widened. There was a blush on her cheeks as she tried to loosen her grip around his neck. Chad refused to let her leave the embrace, keeping his hands firmly planted where they were. Despite himself, he couldn't help but notice how small her waistline was between his palms.

"I - I don't know," she finally managed to mutter. "What do you think I'm trying to suggest?"

Chad Dylan Cooper was no idiot when it came to girls (although Sonny was a whole other story when it came to his feelings. One second he hated her, the next he could barely stand looking away). He could tell that although Sonny was originally distracting him, she had forgotten all about her plan. She was too caught up in everything that was Chad to remember more than her own name.

Wondering how far gone Sonny really was, Chad pressed his forehead to hers. The brunette let him do so, shivering under his touch, her agape lips quivering. Letting his nose brush against hers, Chad proceeded to make his way toward those lips, feeling her sweet, sweet breath on his face.

"Well, I'm just taking a wild guess here," he reminded her, "But I'm thinking you might have been suggesting we do something…" Her eyes shut in anticipation. "…Like this!"

With Sonny's eyes closed, she wasn't prepared at all for what happened next. One second she was standing in Chad's arms; the next, he flung her out of the way, making a mad dash for his dressing room. She followed at his heels, grabbing at his arm to keep him from going in, but Chad easily swatted away her hands. Once he was inside, he stopped, trying to find anything out of place.

Everything seemed to be normal. The letters spelling his name still hung on the wall. The many pictures he had of himself were in the same locations he'd left them. Even the huge cardboard cut-out he had of his body stood off to the side, receiving a wink and two thumbs-up from the real Chad. Nothing was different than Chad remembered it-

-Excluding the Random standing behind him, nervously chewing on her bottom lip.

"Am I missing something or-,"

A loud shout answered Chad's question before he could finish asking it. Narrowing his eyes at Sonny, who shrugged back innocently, Chad traced the sound of the shout and the several that came after it.

They led him straight to his gym, where he found Cloudy and Rainy working out on his equipment, shouting encouragements to each other.

"Whoever isn't named Chad Dylan Cooper better be out of this room within the next three seconds," Chad spoke over the boys. "One…Two…"

Tripping over one another as they jumped in surprise, Sonny's cast mates took off running as fast as they could. Making sure their machines were turned off, Chad prepared to leave the room himself-

Until he realized Sonny was still inside, using his exercise ball as a huge bouncer.

"Maybe you didn't hear me…I said anyone not named Chad Dylan Cooper was out of here."

"Why do I have to leave? I'm not the one who you banned from this place."

"No, but you helped the people I did ban find a way in." Glancing around the room, Chad demanded, "How DID you get in here? I always keep my dressing room door locked."

"You can't lock a vent!"

Rolling his eyes, Chad reached for Sonny's arm, willing to drag her out of the room if it meant he could finally leave the studio. She leaned backwards before he could touch her, the ball rolling beneath her body, helping her stay just out of his reach.

"Run, run, as fast as you can!" she chanted, laughing hysterically. "You can't catch me; I'm the Gingerbread Woman!"

"Was that supposed to be amusing?"

"Is Mackenzie Falls supposed to be serious?"

"I'll have you know that Mackenzie Falls is-,"

"Do you have a pre-show ritual?"

The question was so out of the blue, so _random_, that Chad couldn't help but stare at Sonny. "What?"

"A pre-show ritual," she repeated. "You know, something that you do before filming an episode of your show?"

"I know what a pre-show ritual is, Munroe. I'm just wondering why I'd need one since I have no problem getting into my Mackenzie vibe. Real actors don't need silly rituals to get into character."

"Nico, Grady, Zora, and Tawni all have special things they do before every taping."

"I rest my case."

"Come on, Chad. There has to be something you do before filming!" Sonny waited for the jerk throb to come clean about his ritual, but all he did was shrug. "See, I used to chew gum all the time until Tawni stepped on a piece and almost died. I thought I lost my funny but then I realized I don't really need gum to make people laugh-,"

"No, but a good sense of humor might come in handy."

Her story interrupted, Sonny stubbornly folded her arms over her chest, resuming her bouncing while refusing to look at Chad. Knowing she was angry at him, Chad sat down beside her. The ball rolled under his added weight, but Sonny dug her heels into the ground, preparing herself for any dirty tricks Chad may try.

"Alright, alright," he sighed, taking a deep breath. "If you really want to know…before beginning to film a new episode, I…I look around the studio for you."

Fright overtook Sonny's features.

"Not because I want to trick you, if that's what that look implies," Chad corrected himself, gently taking her hand and rubbing soothing circles across her skin. "I come to find you so we can have one of our typical fights. I know I may sound crazy, but those fights somehow get me in an acting mood."

A huge smile spread across Sonny's face and Chad knew he had said something right.

"Awh!" she cooed, squeezing his hand. "That's actually sweet, Chad!"

"Yeah," Chad agreed, straightening his tie proudly. "Do you want to know something else I'm thinking about adding to my pre-show ritual?"

"I would love to hear about it!"

Without saying a word, Chad used the strength in his well-toned legs to push the ball backwards. There was nothing for Sonny to hold onto as she beginning falling, her surprised feet going over her head as she did some sort of summersault. Chad sprang into a standing position, pointing a finger and laughing when Sonny ended up in a sprawled up mess at his feet.

"That wasn't funny!" she informed him, rubbing the back of her head.

"Neither were you when you snuck your cast mates into my gym," Chad reminded her. "If you pull another stunt like that, you'll leave me with no choice but to add your picture to the Do Not Admit wall."

"Fine. Can you at least help me up now?"

Feeling a small bit of remorse, Chad offered Sonny his hand again. She took it and began standing-

-Before tugging as hard as she could, bringing Chad to the floor.

"You - You…"

"I believe the phrase you're looking for is 'I acted'."

"I believe the phrase you're looking for is 'I better run before CDC decides to extract his wrath'!"

"Is that supposed to scare me, Chad? What do you plan on doing to me? I wouldn't recommend anything too bad since I could easily file sexual assault. You know the girls are always thought to be telling the truth over the boys. Besides, I really-,"

Not having a chance to complete her ramble as Chad got on his feet, Sonny took off running around his dressing room, reaching the door only moments before his hands would have been able to stop her. He watched as the comedian ran down the hall toward her own set, laughing uncontrollably as she went. Shaking his head, Chad went back to grab the coat he had originally wanted before heading home.

A shout was what stopped Chad from leaving.

"Goodnight, Cooper."

He had almost forgotten he and Sonny could hear each other from their dressing rooms.

"Goodnight, Munroe."

Giggling was the last thing he heard before heading to the parking lot where his faithful car was waiting for him. As he slipped the key in and started the engine, Chad glanced into the mirror to make sure there was nobody behind him to hit. He caught a glimpse of his reflection.

For the first time in awhile, he saw a real smile on his face.

Author's Note: Who else found it extremely adorable that Sonny and Chad can hear each other from their dressing rooms?? Come on, Disney…You could make sooooo many interesting plots using that!! They probably won't…but they could if they wanted to!!

Goodness, thanks so much to all of you who reviewed last chapter!! I really don't know why you're all so nice, but you really do know how to brighten a girl's day!!!! You guys make it hard to write this because I want to do a good job and keep all of you happy, but on episodes like this when we have barely any Channy at all, I really have no idea what to add. So, in other words, sorry if it sucks!

Thanks also to those of you who didn't review but added me to this story to their favorites list and subscribed!

Ohh, I wasn't going to do a contest this chapter, but I just thought of a really good one! Do you guys want to know what it is?

In your review, I want to know what you guys would have Chad and Sonny overhearing from each other from their dressing rooms. It doesn't have to be a totally new scene - although it can be if you'd like to make up your own dialog of what the two of them are saying back and forth. Feel free to add in the other characters as well! We know Tawni knows about the dressing rooms being able to hear each other, so maybe she could show Nico, Grady, and Zora how it works. Or, if you don't want to write something brand new, take a moment from either season of a conversation that happened in Sonny's dressing room that Chad may have overheard and tell me how Chad might have reacted to it.

The person who comes up with the most creative story wins!!

Sorry if the contest doesn't make sense…I'm not always the best at explaining things. But if you want to join, please do!!


	30. Episode 29: Random Acts of Disrespect

Thanks to Forever . Stuck . In . Time for PMing and reminding me it was time for an update. Haha…believe it or not, I started writing as soon as my email told me you sent the message. Thanks!

Disclaimer: CHAD ADMITTED THE FALLS ARE FUNNIER THAN SO RANDOM! CHAD ADMITTED THE FALLS ARE FUNNIER THAN SO RANDOM!

Episode 29:

Random Acts of Disrespect

**Chad Dylan Cooper Will Not Lose His Hair For Another Sixty Years**

Something strange was going on at stage three. Normally, Chad liked stopping by at least once a day so he could have a 'conversation' (in other words, a fight) with a certain Wisconsinite. He had to admit, he was a little bit freaked out about visiting her set at the moment. What if Grace and Buddy and the other elderly people hadn't gone home yet? Could he deal with them if they were still hanging around?

It wasn't that Chad minded old people. As the greatest actor of his generation, he found it his job to love everyone, no matter their race, skin color, religion, or gender. After all, in the great words of some famous person Chad couldn't remember the name of, he was instructed to 'do onto others as he would like done to him'. His comprehension of that line was this: As long as he led people to believe he liked them, they would fall in love him. After all, he was Chad Dylan Cooper. What was there not to love?

Most of So Random's surprising guests were at least tolerable to Chad. He wouldn't mind teasing Sonny in front of them, not having to worry about them commenting at all. Grace, on the other hand, was another story. She confused Chad, making him ponder if she was really her own person or a Sonny clone who was born quite a few years before the girl Chad now knew. Sonny was the only person he had the 'good, good, fine, fine' argument with on a regular basis. Sonny was the one who made fun of Mackenzie Falls day to day. And then along came Grace, taking part in both activities less than five minutes after meeting Chad. The actor was forced to turn from one girl to the next, gray hair to black, trying to figure out if Grace was moving her lips while Sonny really did the talking.

As if Grace wasn't bad enough, Chad also spent a few minutes talking to Buddy. Out of kindness for the old man, who probably didn't have any friends himself and would feel like he was on top of the world if the great Chad Dylan Cooper paid him any attention, Chad looked at Buddy's picture that was taken when he was only seventeen years old. If Grace was the older version of Sonny, then Buddy had to be Chad's much older brother. The boy in the black and white photograph had everything CDC had: the same gorgeous blonde hair, the sparkling blue eyes (yes, both of his eyes DID sparkle, thank you very much!), and, of course, the copyrighted Chad Dylan Cooper smirk. If Chad had been thinking straight, he would have sued Buddy right on the spot for using HIS smile without permission. Unfortunately, Buddy had Chad too worried about losing his hair to pay any interest to the smirk.

And then, there was the worst thing of all about having Grace and Buddy around: the Randoms got to see Chad during his weakest moment. They saw him with healthy hair rods! Albeit, the expression on Sonny's face after seeing the healthy hair rods had been priceless and Chad wouldn't have minded if she was the only one who saw. Sonny knew plenty of secrets about him and he was fairly certain she wouldn't go off and tell the world he was worried about losing his hair. The other Randoms he didn't trust nearly as much.

"Watch your step!" a peppy voice Chad knew all too well cried out. "Just because we're not on So Random's stage anymore doesn't mean the wires disappeared!"

Pushing open his dressing room door, Chad wasn't surprised to find Sonny walking toward him slowly, her back facing the Mackenzie Falls star. What he wasn't expecting to see was the horde of elderly following her.

"Hey, Sonny!" Chad greeted with false happiness, lightly placing his hand on the small of the actress's back. "What are you and your…friends…doing over here at the Falls?"

"Well, after you were kind enough to brag about Mackenzie Falls when you first met everyone," Sonny explained, giving Chad a pointed look that was meant to say 'You can't blame me for this one. This was all your doing!' "They decided to stop by and see what was so special about your show compared to mine."

"I just wanted to know what Mackenzie Falls was about," Grace volunteered her own excuse. From her spot at the front of the group, it was easy to see her shrug her shoulders. "Why do all the posters have a sad boy's head floating in the air with a waterfall behind him? Boys can't fly!"

Chad chuckled smugly before walking to the nearest Mackenzie Falls poster, his finger pointing toward his character's name.

"The main star of the show, or the sad boy as you like to call him, is named Mackenzie," he said, speaking to Grace as though she was a small child asking about the meaning of life. His finger moved over to the other word in the title. "These are the Falls Mackenzie's family owns."

"How can one family own an entire waterfall?" Grace inquired. "Shouldn't it be public property?"

"Mackenzie's family is rich. They bought the Falls and now they bottle up the water and sell it. You see, Mackenzie is in charge of the family water business, but he has this annoying half brother who-,"

"That sounds too confusing for me," Grace cut Chad off. "I'll stick with shows that are easier to understand. Shows like So Random!"

"Fine," Chad replied, not caring if he lost one fan to the comedy show. It wasn't like Grace's viewings would bring So Random above the Falls.

"Fine," Grace countered Chad's word.

"Good."

"Good!"

"Fi-,"

Sonny pushed her way between Grace and Chad. Now she understood why her cast grew tired of listening to her and Chad fight all the time. It was kind of annoying.

"Okay!" she said nervously as the two arguers stared daggers at each other. "Who wants to see the place all the episodes of Mackenzie Falls are filmed?"

Coming out of his stare-down, Chad quickly shook his head.

"No, no. They don't get to see the place Mackenzie Falls magic happens," he protested. "Only people who watch my show get to see the set!"

"I don't care for your attitude, young man," Grace reprimanded. "Maybe I should give my grandkids a call. They shouldn't be watching shows with role models like you."

Losing Grace as a fan was a lot different than having the younger kids stop watching. They were fans Chad needed if he planned on keeping Mackenzie Falls the number one tween drama. If keeping them as viewers meant being nice to Grace, Chad was willing to play along. It was only for one afternoon, right? He could play Mr. Nice Guy for a few hours.

"So…Who's ready for a Chad Dylan Cooper tour of the Mackenzie Falls set?" he asked the large group in fake enthusiasm.

Sonny stayed at the back of the pack as Chad led everyone forward, helping anyone who couldn't keep up with the pace. She had no idea why Chad suddenly changed his mind and decided to help her out, but she was thankful. Maybe the tour would go by quicker with Chad leading and Sonny could get everyone home sooner. Yes, after Grace's trick with the police and making the Randoms all believe they were getting arrested, Sonny understood old people were still just as much humans as she was herself.

That didn't mean she enjoyed having them around all the time though.

* * *

Two hours later, Chad's stage was still filled with visitors. He sat next to the fake bushes Gassie had loved so much, watching as the old folks milled around, using his set as a gathering place. They talked to each other. They made fun of the fake scenery. They kept Sonny running back and forth on 'potty runs' with them, so Chad couldn't even annoy her. There was nothing to do but sit on the ground while his butt fell asleep, wondering if the torture was ever going to end.

When a hand slid across Chad's back, sending shivers down his spine, he turned to see who the culprit was. Sonny stood on the other side of the bushes, a tiny smile on her face.

"Is that seat taken?" she asked, nodding toward the floor beside Chad.

"That depends. Are you ever going to get my stage cleared off?"

It wasn't until that moment Chad noticed a basket in Sonny's hands. She held it up in front of her chest, that big goofy smile of hers overtaking her lips. "Consider this a peace offering."

Not waiting for a reply, Sonny stepped over the short hedge line. Instead of simply sitting like any normal person would do, Sonny spread a white and red checkered blanket out on the floor. She sat on top of it, pulling the basket closer to her body and beginning to take out sandwiches, chips, and even fro-yo.

"Sorry about the small selection," she apologized. "It was all I had time to buy when I snuck into the commissary."

"You have time to sit down and eat?" Chad asked, skipping straight to the fro-yo since it would melt. "Don't you have old people to baby-sit?"

"All of them have been to the bathroom at least three times now. If they need to go again, they can hold it. I'm starving!"

Just like Chad, Sonny reached for the other bowl of fro-yo, her eyes closing as she let out a moan of happiness after taking one bite.

"Isn't this the best frozen yogurt you've ever had?" she gushed, jumping up and down the tiniest bit. "I love this fro-yo so much, I would marry it. That's how much I love it!"

"I don't know. It's not as good as the Bananas Foster I could be eating if I could eat lunch with the rest of my cast."

Pointing her spoon in Chad's direction, Sonny shook her head. "Hey, this is my peace offering for bringing everyone to your set and holding you hostage all afternoon. You're supposed to say, 'You're forgiven, Sonny,', not make me feel bad about doing it."

"You think one bowl of fro-yo is going to be enough to make me forgive you for this?" Chad asked, using his spoon to motion around the room. "Sorry, Sonny, but just like your egg salad, fro-yo cannot solve every problem."

"Egg salad?" Sonny repeated, her eyebrow raising. "Who said anything about egg salad?"

"You did, back when you first arrived in Hollywood and tried to end the feud between our shows." Chad paused, studying the red and white blanket. "What is it with you and your peace picnics anyway? Don't you know of any other ways to solve problems?"

"Not only are peace picnics great at bringing peace to everyone, but they're fun, too! Who wouldn't love sitting on the ground with a really cool blanket while chowing down on their favorite foods?"

Chad raised his hand. Rolling her eyes, Sonny moved until she was able to hit Chad's shoulder with her own, forcing his hand back to his side. She never went back to her original spot.

"I know they're not the most fun people in the world to hang out with, but don't you just love Grace?" she cooed after a few moments of silence. "She has to be the sweetest person I've ever met!"

"I'll admit…Grace isn't nearly as bad as Buddy."

"What? Buddy isn't bad either, Chad!"

"Easy for you to say. He didn't tell you you'd be going bald in six months!"

To prove his point, Chad twirled a strand of Sonny's black hair around his finger. Letting the silky locks hug his skin tightly, Chad couldn't help but notice how strong, long, and beautiful her strands truly were. She was lucky. She wouldn't have to worry about losing her hair until years down the road.

Sonny concentrated on her frozen dessert as Chad continued playing with her hair, hoping he couldn't tell how fast her heart was beating at his touch. He stopped too soon for her liking.

"You know, Buddy was probably trying to scare you with his hair story," she suggested, studying his blonde head. "You take better care of your hair than anyone I've ever known. Why would it start to randomly fall out?"

Chad hadn't thought about it that way. Just because he and Buddy were identical at seventeen didn't mean they'd taken care of their hair the same way. Chad used the finest hair products around and even had stylists who helped him before each and every Mackenzie Falls taping. Buddy probably only had the local hair salon to help him out. Everyone knew a some person who cut hair for hundreds of people a day wouldn't be as good as a professional in Hollywood.

"Besides," Sonny went on when Chad stayed silent. "You HAVE to keep your hair until So Random gets canceled at the very least."

"Why until then?" Chad wondered aloud.

"Because if you lose it before that, who am I going to do this to?"

Her hand moving swiftly because she knew Chad would stop her if she gave him the chance, Sonny ran all five fingers through Chad's now tousled mess atop his head. Yelling at her to stop, Chad tried to pry her away, but she used her free hand to fight him. Her laughter filled the room as the war went on, eventually getting so out of hand that the brunette clutched at her sides to subside the pain from laughing so hard. From there, it was easy for Chad to push her onto her back, cupping her wrists as he leaned over her.

"Never, and I repeat NEVER…" He paused as Sonny burst into a new giggling fit. "Touch my hair again, Munroe!"

"You mean like this?"

She tried to do it again, but it didn't take her long to realize Chad held her hostage. The laugher stopping abruptly, she pushed harder, trying with no avail to move her arms.

"Chad! Let me go!"

"Do you promise to leave my hair alone?"

"No."

"Then I'm afraid I have to deny your request."

Sonny struggled beneath him to free herself, but Chad, who was stronger thanks to all the time he spent in his private gym, easily kept her within his grasp. He was rather enjoying how close the fight brought him and Sonny together.

"Aww! Isn't that the cutest sight you ever did see?"

Jumping away from Sonny, Chad sat on the other side of the blanket as the grumbling actress sat up straight. Grace and Buddy stood before the teens, smiling down at them like they had just witnessed the cutest scene in a romantic movie.

"Hey, guys!" Sonny greeted the newcomers. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Do you still remember when we were their age, Buddy?" Grace asked, ignoring Sonny's offer.

"I most certainly do!" Buddy affirmed. "We sure were two young lovers back then, weren't we? Just like these two!"

"What?" Chad asked at the same time Sonny said, "Oh, we're not in love!"

"How sweet!" Grace sighed dreamily. "They're even stuck in the same state of denial we suffered through!"

Buddy leaned down, patting Chad's shoulder in the process.

"Don't worry anything, son," he reassured the jerk throb. "Sooner or later, you two won't be ashamed of your love and you'll be able to do this with that cutie no matter who's watching you!"

Without another word, he grabbed Grace in his arms-

-Swept her down in a classic Disney dip-

-And began kissing her in the way you NEVER want to witness anyone, especially two people old enough to be your grandparents, kiss.

"Ok!" Sonny said quickly, climbing to her feet. "I'm going to round up everyone and take off. Thanks for the tour, Chad!"

She scampered away but not fast enough to stop one thought from crossing her mind: More than anything, she would love for her and Chad to be just like Buddy and Grace in sixty years. Well…maybe not just like them. She planned on coloring her hair if it ever reached the grayish tint Grace's was and she hoped Chad would keep his hair for a few more years.

But the part about still being in love…That part Sonny wouldn't mind at all.

Author's Note:

Special thanks to: LilRockerStar, TeddyLuver, Channy4Ever343, BunnyandChannylove, and TrinityFlower of Memories for taking part in my come up with your own Channy-Sonny-and-Chad-hear-each-other-from-their-dressing-rooms game!

The winner is…

*drum roll*

ALL FIVE OF YOU!

I know. I suck at picking winners. But I loved all your stories, I really did! All of them were creative, so I don't think I can pick just one. Hate me for it if you want to…You're all winners in my heart!

Who else thought Grace and Buddy were the older versions of Sonny and Chad while they watched Random Acts of Disrespect? If Grace said something about having a husband who wasn't Buddy or Buddy said something about having a wife who wasn't Grace, please don't sue me. I'm pretty sure they didn't say anything about it in the episode. Even if they did, let's use our imaginations and pretend the two of them ended up together like they did in my story!

Ohh yeah, and a note to some of you who are starting to get annoyed that Disney isn't putting enough Channy in the episodes for you: Please keep watching the show anyway. If you stop, then it will get canceled. Disney needs their faithful viewers to keep watching, and besides that, there are so many other characters on the show who you guys would love if you gave them a chance! We know Sonny and Chad will end up together eventually - most of us have read the Falling for the Falls script - so let's try to enjoy the time Disney spends building up the rest of the characters!

On a happier note, thank you so much for all the reviews/favoriting/and subscribing, everyone! This story would be nothing without you! Your reviews are so much fun to read!

*starts singing* I have the most wonderful reviewers in the world! They've given me the desire to do nothing but twirl and twirl! 271 reviews just for me! Do you think they can change the first number to a three? *stops singing*

Yep. I'm a dork. Seriously though, if this story reaches 300 reviews before the 'supposed' air-date of Falling for the Falls (June 13), there will be a MAJOR prize!

I'll stop rambling now. Thanks again!


	31. Episode 30: Grady With a Chance of Sonny

Sorry for the super slow update, guys! I had a couple days when I really wasn't in the mood to write, and then once I finally did get started, I deleted several times because everyone was so out of character and…yeah. It was crazy. Thanks for the reviews/PMs reminding me to update!

Disclaimer: High-up person at Disney: WHAT? You can't add all these Channy moments to an episode of swac!

Me: Um…Why not?

High-up person at Disney: Because that would make the fans way too happy! You can only give them a few Channy moments per episode. Otherwise, they'll become way too greedy and they'll want Channy ALL THE TIME.

Me: Well…It's a good thing I'm willing to help them out then!

Episode 30:

Grady With a Chance of Sonny

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Shrink**

It was finally Sunday. Sonny had the entire day to sit around and relax after a stressful week at work followed by a long weekend helping Grady with Grant while trying to date Blake at the same time, who ended up being nothing but a jerk. Anyone who made fun of her friends, especially Grady, who was one of the sweetest guys Sonny had ever met…How could she dream about dating someone so cruel?

Although, thinking back to her luck with boys since moving to Hollywood, hadn't all of the ones she'd developed crushes on been jerks in one way or another?

Case 1: Chad Dylan Cooper.

The first time Sonny met the three named jerk throb, she was star-struck. She was so thrilled to meet him, she couldn't say his name as she struggled to get her mouth to form the correct words. She should have known how big of a jerk he was from the start; he stole her fro yo less than five minutes after their meeting! But being naive back then, Sonny was willing to look past that in exchange for the autographed photo in her hands. Now, more than a year later, she had seen a side of Chad her cast mates knew about long before she did: he lived up to his name of Hollywood's bad boy.

Case 2: Eric.

Ok, so maybe Eric wasn't so much a crush as he was Sonny's dream boyfriend. She made him up to raise her self esteem shortly after arriving in Hollywood and, although everything grew into a sticky situation after Marshall invited Eric to the set, he had started off as being the sweet, adoring man Sonny wished truly existed. He was kind, caring, and considerate enough to write her fan mail that didn't include a marriage proposal (which a lot of her mail had). Eric was perfect - until Chad put on the costume and turned the imaginary fan into a jerk.

Case 3: James Conroy.

It didn't take long at all for Sonny to fall for James. One conversation in the lunch line and a jealous Chad was all it took to do the trick. He dumped her for Tawni the day after their first date, deeming him a spot in the hall of jerks as well.

Case 4: Hayden.

Hayden wasn't Sonny's date at first and she told everyone she had no feelings for him because she didn't want Tawni thinking she was trying to steal him. The truth was, Sonny did have a small crush on Hayden from the beginning but was willing to hand him over to her costar without a fight. He was the first boy the Wisconsinite ever kissed. He ended up dumping Tawni just because she told him a few white lies. What kind of a guy broke up with a girl like that without giving her a second (or third) chance?

Case 5: Jackson Tyler.

Maybe Sonny never actually met Jackson Tyler, star of Tridark, but anyone who cancelled their guest-star appearance at the last minute for the likes of Chad Dylan Cooper HAD to be a jerk. End of story.

Case 6: Trey Brothers.

Great recording artist, very good looking, and an accent that was fun to listen to. Those were the only good points about So Random's newest guest, the person who ended up stealing songs, magic tricks, and the vampire idea from the Falls cast. If he kept up with that record, he was looking at a life in jail.

Case 7: Blake Radisson.

He called Grady a dork and left Sonny alone at the restaurant to find her own ride home. Not that she would have taken a ride from the Tridark star anyway, but still. What guy left a girl stranded without having the courtesy to call a cab for her?

Seven guys (six omitting Eric), all of them jerks. Either Sonny had really bad taste when it came to boyfriends or there was something wrong with the boys she had to choose from. All of them, except for Hayden who was only an intern working at the studio, had grown up in the spotlight. Could that be the reason behind their attitudes? Would Sonny turn into a jerk if she continued her acting career?

No, Sonny told herself firmly. There was no possible way every person on television was a jerk in real life. Somewhere, there was guy waiting for her, someone who was the man she dreamed Eric to be. He would love her more than life itself and would never imagine hurting her. Treating her like a queen, he wouldn't be afraid to tell the public they were dating, or to take her hand no matter who was watching, or even to give her cheek a swift peck when people chanted, "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" And the most important thing of all: he would consider her friends his family. After all, if he was dating her, he was dating So Random as well.

"Why am I thinking so much?" Sonny moaned, burying her head under her pillow. "I'm supposed to be relaxing!"

She forced her eyes shut, preparing for a much needed nap when-

_Moooooooooooooooooo!_

Of course…The second she got her brain to shut up, someone decided to call her and start a whole new conversation.

"Sonny?" a nervous voice asked once the cell phone pressed against the brunette's ear. "I need to talk to you about something. I think…I think I might have feelings for Nico!"

"Sonny!" Connie Munroe cried at the same time. "Someone's here to see you!"

"I'll be there in a minute, Mom!" Sonny replied, jumping from the bed she'd just gotten comfortable on, pressing her back against her bedroom door to make sure her Mom wouldn't barge in. "Now, what were you saying about Nico, Tawn?"

* * *

Chad Dylan Cooper and Connie Munroe sat together on the living room's couch. Neither looked at the other. Connie was surprised when she found the greatest actor of Sonny's generation (at least, that was the title she overheard her daughter use on more than one occasion) standing on her doorstep, unable to find a good reason not to invite him inside. For some reason, Sonny refused to leave her room right away. Until she was ready to meet and greet her guest, it was up to Connie to show hospitality.

"So…Can I get you anything while you wait?" she offered. "I have water if you want some. Or there are some cookies I bought from a guy standing on a freeway off-ramp. I'm pretty sure the brown spots in them are chocolate chips."

"No, thank you, Mrs. Munroe," Chad declined, flashing the most polite smile he could muster during the awkward situation. All he wanted to do was talk to Sonny. He hadn't been planning on having a one-on-one with her Mom. "I'm good, thanks."

Nodding her head, Connie wrung her hands together, stealing a glance toward Sonny's door. Maybe if she stared at it long enough, she would be able to force it to fly open, ending the weirdness taking place in her living room.

With nothing else to say, Connie turned on the television sitting in front of her and Chad. The theme song from So Random started playing through the room, causing Chad to let out a loud groan.

"What?" Connie asked him. "Do you not like this episode?"

"No offense to your daughter or anything, but…No." Chad shrugged innocently. "Would you mind finding something else to watch?"

"I wouldn't mind at all - if I knew how to work the remote."

She began hitting the device on her knee like that would somehow magically change the channel. "Usually Sonny's in charge of what we watch and she always picks So Random, so…The channel doesn't leave this one very often."

"What a waste."

"Excuse me?"

Remembering Connie was the mother of the girl he came to visit, Chad sat up straighter, smiling at the woman sitting next to him. She glared back.

"I don't mean it's a waste you only watch one show," he lied smoothly, thankful he'd been acting for too many years to count. "I just mean it's a waste to…pay all the money you do for other channels when you use one of them and nothing else."

"Oh." Turning her attention back to the control, Connie had a helpless expression on her face. "I guess it would be nice to watch something else once in awhile…"

"Allow me," Chad said, extending his hand. "I'll put your television on the only channel besides the one showing So Random you'll ever need. That way, you can simply hit the 'back' button to go from one to the other."

Handing the item over to Chad, the Mackenzie Falls actor punched in the number he had memorized. Just as he knew would happen, an episode of Mackenzie Falls played across the screen. He loved having the rights to his own 24 hour station.

"Mackenzie Falls?" Connie asked curiously. "Oh, no, I can't watch this! It's the show rivaling Sonny's and - and…" Her voice trailed off as her eyes focused on the screen. "Who's that girl?"

"That's Chloe," Chad answered smugly.

"Why is she at the hospital?"

"In the episode before this one, she fell and hit her head. Now everyone's come to see her because they have no idea if she's ever going to wake up."

"That's horrible!" A few silent moments passed. "Who's the guy with her?"

"His name is Trevor. He's helping look after her until Mackenzie shows up."

"Where's Mackenzie?"

"Well, in the first season of the show, it was explained how Mackenzie and Skylar-,"

"Skylar? Who's that? I thought that guy was Trevor?"

That's how the rest of the time passed. Connie asked question after question, Chad answered each easily, and the older Munroe seemed to be drawn to the screen more and more every second. Chad couldn't stop himself from smirking. Thanks to him, Mackenzie Falls had a new fan.

"Okay, Mom, what did you-,"

Sonny stopped, her jaw dropping when she saw Chad. In her living room. Sitting on the same couch she'd sat on almost every day for over a year.

"Hey," Chad greeted, climbing to his feet. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"I-I don't know." Her chocolate eyes turned to Connie. "Mom, is it alright if Chad and I talk?"

"Yeah. Go ahead and talk. Talking's good for you," Connie replied, too caught up in the drama to really pay attention.

Motioning for Chad to follow her, Sonny headed toward her room again. Chad shadowed her, gaining angry grunts from Connie as he walked in front of her, blocking her line of vision. Leaving her door ajar since she wasn't allowed to have a boy inside a closed room with her, Sonny folded her arms over her chest.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Well, what do you think you're doing at my apartment?"

Ignoring her question, Chad let his eyes gaze over everything. Littered in pictures of Randoms, Sonny's walls were the perfect mixture of Hollywood pictures and ones of people Chad didn't know, more than likely from Wisconsin. Other than that, it looked the way Chad always thought a girl's room would be: neat, tidy, and bright.

"This is how you spend your Sunday afternoons?" he inquired, noticing the un-made bed and guessing Sonny had been settling down for a nap. "Sleeping and refusing to talk to any guest who stop by until they spend at least half an hour with your Mom?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I've been on the phone since you got here," Sonny informed him. "Tawni thinks she might - I mean, Tawni wanted to talk."

"She wanted to talk to you?"

"Why do you sound so surprised?"

"No reason. After all the fighting you two did while we were in Glandovia, I figured you wouldn't be the first person she turned to for advice."

"Yeah, well, as I told you before, I know people. After knowing her and Nico for over a year, she thought I might be able to help with…Oops."

Too late, Sonny realized her mistake. She promised Tawni she wouldn't tell anyone about her phone call, which had, in short, revealed that although Tawni Hart didn't care about anyone except herself, after spending an entire weekend with Nico, she was left with a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. Sonny wasn't sure if it was a crush or if the teen queen simply was confused, but either way she knew telling Chad about the dilemma was a huge no-no.

"Tawni and Nico like each other?" Chad repeated. "I guess that explains why they were together every time I saw them."

"You saw the two of them this weekend?" Confirming his answer with a nod, Sonny stood up for herself, not wanting Chad to think she hadn't hung out with people, too. "I had a date while you were busy with my cast mates."

"Are you talking about that stupid fake date you and Grady went on?" Chad asked, smiling when Sonny's eyes widened. "Yeah, Tawni and Nico told me all about your little plan to trick Grady's brother. I wouldn't brag about that date if I were you."

"That's not the date I'm bragging about. I'm talking about the one I went on with Blake."

Chad's smile fell. "Blake who?"

"Blake Radisson." Stepping closer to her guest, Sonny wore his trademark smug smile. "Also known as the star of the Tridark movies."

Doing his best to hide the way his blood boiled under his skin, Chad kept his cool as he asked, "Really? How did that work out for you?"

"Why do you care more about that date than my relationship with Grady?"

"Oh, please. Grady's one of your best friends. I have no reason to be jealous of him."

"Are you saying you are jealous of Blake?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

Grinning triumphantly, Sonny bounced on the balls of her feet.

"Why are you so happy?"

"You just admitted you're jealous."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did."

"No, I didn't!"

"Yes, you did!"

Chad wanted to tell Sonny she was crazy, but while he replayed the last few minutes in his mind, he felt his face flushing. Sonny was right; he had admitted he was jealous. And even worse than that: he admitted it was of some vampire wanna-be!

"You talk too much," Chad changed the subject. "I came over today so I could tell you goodbye, not to have an argument."

"Goodbye?" Sonny repeated, obviously confused. "Why are you saying that? Are you leaving to film a movie or something?"

"This is a much more serious matter than that, Munroe. As a matter of fact, this may be the last time you ever see me alive."

Concern crossing her facial features, Sonny reached out for Chad's arm, running her fingers up and down his bare skin.

"You have a life-threatening disease?" she asked, continuing her slow pattern. "What's wrong with you, Chad?"

"Several things. I can only see in Fun House vision when I look in a mirror, I have intermediate hearing lose, and…" He pulled a safari vest and hat from behind his back. "I'm shrinking."

Taking the clothing articles from him, Sonny eyed them dubiously.

"Fun House vision?" she repeated. "Chad…There's no such thing as Fun House vision! And people can't shrink, either. It's not possible."

"Oh yeah?" Chad shot back. "Then explain to me why that outfit fit perfectly the first time I put it on but was way too big the next!"

"I don't know why-," Sonny paused, something Chad had said earlier coming back to her. "Wait…Didn't you say you hung out with Nico and Tawni? Were they around between the first time you wore this to the second time?"

Furrowing his brow in thought, Chad shook his head. "Now that you mention it, I didn't see either of them during that span…"

Checking the size on Chad's vest, Sonny knew her cast mates were the culprits in some sort of prank. She wasn't sure what size Chad wore, but she had a feeling it wasn't extra large.

"You're not shrinking into oblivion," she stated, showing Chad the new size. "Nico and Tawni pulled a prank on you. You are in no way, shape, or form dying."

Ripping the vest from Sonny's grip, Chad began grumbling about how he needed to get back at the two Randoms for pulling a trick on him. He was so busy plotting, he didn't glance at the comedian in front of him. By the time he remembered she was still there, he almost burst into laughter.

Sonny was wearing Chad's hat, her head completely covered under the brown material. In a weird sort of way, she looked almost…cute.

"Give me the hat, Sonny."

"I don't know," the actress replied, her voice muffled. "I kind of like it!"

"Sonny."

"Chad."

"Munroe."

"Cooper."

Rolling his eyes, Chad caved first. "You know what? Why don't you keep it? I can't use it in the commercial anyway. It might as well go to a good use."

"YES!"

Turning to leave, Chad stopped when he saw a picture of Sonny, Grady, and Nico at the arcadia. Sonny was dressed in the outfit Chad knew all too well. It wasn't hard to figure out the picture had been taken the night of his and Sonny's fake date.

Lifting the brim of Sonny's hat, Chad stared straight into her eyes.

"Did you kiss him?"

"What?"

"While you were fake dating Grady," Chad clarified. "Did you throw your hand over his mouth and give him a fake kiss?"

The part of her face Chad could see turned scarlet.

"Ew! Of course not! Grady's like a…a brother to me! Even faking a kiss with him would be gross!" she told him, bringing more happiness to Chad than he was willing to show. Grady felt too much like a brother to kiss. He, on the other hand, apparently didn't. "Chad? You know how you hung out with Tawni and Nico while I was with Grady all weekend?"

At the same time, Chad cried out, "Was he better than me?" at the same time Sonny said, "Were they better than me?"

Instead of answering her question, Chad clicked his tongue at the actress, stayed long enough to see her smile before the hat covered her again, and then made his way toward the living room-

Which was where he found Connie grabbing her car keys.

"Um, Mrs. Munroe?" Chad asked slowly. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Mackenzie Falls is too confusing! I need to buy all the seasons on DVD so I can catch up!" She waved absentmindedly. "Tell Sonny I'll be back later!"

Shaking his head, Chad took off instead of staying to annoy Sonny more. Sure, her Mom was hooked to his show (that had to be record time in becoming obsessed) and wasn't paying close attention at the moment, but Chad knew when she came to her senses and realized she left Sonny home alone with a boy in the house, she wouldn't be too happy about it. Chad would do the right thing and leave, not giving Connie any reason to worry.

After all, if he and Sonny ever took the huge leap into a relationship, he wanted her family to like him.

* * *

Sonny Munroe had met six jerks in Hollywood so far, but she had only gone on fake dates with two people since beginning her career on So Random.

Fake Date 1: Chad Dylan Cooper.

Still as arrogant as ever, it wasn't the ideal date. Chad wouldn't hold Sonny's hand unless she stood on the side he told her to and once they were seated at their booth, he was slow to put his arm around her. As the night went on, he became a little more comfortable, taking a break from the jerk Sonny had come to know. He didn't complain when she rested her head on his shoulder, he flirted with her when James glanced in their direction, and he hoped the fake kiss she gave him was real.

Fake Date 2: Grady Mitchell.

Grady never had a jerk side to begin with. He was always the sweet boy Sonny imagined him to be while watching So Random on the small television back in Wisconsin. Going on a fake date with him was much like going on one with Chad, except for she didn't have to deal with him ordering her around. On the other hand, she also didn't have as many touchy moments with Grady.

Fake dating was, in Sonny's opinion, much better than dating for real. Yes, it was easier with Chad, someone who wasn't her best friend and who sent a thrill through her body with every little touch, but both dates proved one thing to Sonny:

There were nice people in Hollywood who were worth dating. She would find the one meant for her sooner or later.

Maybe even sooner than she thought.

Author's Note: 313 REVIEWS! 313 REVIEWS! Wow…You guys are AMAZING! I love you all so much right now, it's not even funny! Thank you to each and every one of you who have read/reviewed this story! You guys are my inspiration to keep on writing. If it weren't for all of you, I would be nothing. So, go ahead and give yourself a pat on the back; you deserve it!

Remember when I said there would be an amazing prize if you guys got me up to 300 reviews? You did it - now you get to pick your prize! I was thinking some sort of one-shot. But the problem is…I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO WRITE IT ABOUT! I really want to thank you guys though, so I'm leaving it in your hands: What would you like the one-shot to be about? Maybe you have a suggestion for a Channy moment you're too lazy to write yourself? Is there something special you wanted to see in an episode Disney didn't add and I forget to put in, too? Perhaps you'd like to step away from Channy and take a look into the Tawni/Nico relationship I hinted at in this chapter?

It's up to you! Put your suggestion in your review or I'll just skip over the one-shot and call this thank you good enough. I need your participation!

Ok, now on to a more serious note. In case some of you haven't noticed, there is a person on this site who keeps changing their name in order to steal our stories. Although this hasn't happened to me, it has happened to a few of the greatest authors here! I just want to remind you all to be careful what you upload. I could really care less if one of my stories get stolen (there's a reason I only load FF and none of my real stories to ANY website), but I'm sure some of you would be heartbroken and not feel comfortable posting again if your work was stolen. So, until this person is stopped, please, please, PLEASE watch out for yourselves!

Special shout-out to Channy4Ever343 for reminding me I haven't updated and not getting angry when I promised I would the next night…and failing to do so.

Also, thanks to TrinityFlower of Memories for letting me steal the line near the end when Sonny and Chad asked each other if Nico/Tawni or Grady were better than hanging out with each other.

IMPORTANT NOTE! IMPORTANT NOTE!

Sorry, just thought I should put that for anyone who's grown sick of listening to me talk by now. As all of you know, on June 13, we will finally get to see the long awaited Falling for the Falls episode. TrinityFlower of Memories has started a sign-up on her profile titled Falls.

What are you agreeing to if you sign up for Falls? Here, let me tell you!

As you watch Falling for the Falls on your TV for the first time (which you all SHOULD do even if it leaks early to help savor the magic of it!), have a squirt gun/water bottle/any device you can find that will let you spray water, in your hands. Every time you hear the word Falls or you see the words Mackenzie Falls on one of the posters, you will spray yourself (or the closest living thing around you if you'll get in trouble for spraying yourself), just as the So Random cast does when they watch Mackenzie Falls together.

So, don't forget to review with your suggestion for a one-shot AND to visit TrinityFlower of Memories 's profile as soon as you're done to sign up for Falls. Thanks!


	32. Episode 31: FFTF Part One

Disclaimer: Announcer: And now, live from her living room, after a month of trying and failing to complete a 50K word novel for National Write a Novel Month, I present to you, Lifeisveryshortsoami!

Me: Um…Can we not mention my failing to write a novel? All the readers of this story might get mad at me for leaving them in order to write said novel and giving up at the end of the month.

Announcer: Nonsense! They won't get mad. After all, you promised them you would update in December, and look at you, updating on the very first day! They should be happy you were able to throw something together so fast!

Me: I hope you're right. Maybe they won't get mad if I tell them that although I failed at National Write a Novel Month, I did come up with a really cool plot for a different story I'll be writing. One with my own characters and dragons and knights in shining armor…I mean, they'll be happy for me then, right?

Announcer: Believe whatever you want to believe! Now, onto Things Chad Dylan Cooper Will Never Do. Lifeisveryshortsoami does not own swac. All she owns is the plot. She would also like to let you know this chapter starts just after the end of Falling for the Falls part one, right after the Randoms and Chad leave Sonny's apartment.

Me: That's not all I wanted to tell them! I also wanted you guys to know that _the part of the chapter written in font like this is a flashback to my episode 17 chapter. _Enjoy!

Episode 31:

Falling for the Falls, Part One

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Allow Anyone To Break Off A Date**

Why had she done it?

All Sonny wanted to do was ask Chad which girl Mackenzie would end up with. How was she supposed to know Chad would misinterpret every word she said, twist it around so it was really about the two of them, and then proceed to ask her out?

WHY had she said yes?

Sonny could remember her reasoning for not allowing herself to date Chad. Yes, she had fallen for him since arriving in Hollywood - she had fallen for him quite hard, actually, harder than she ever thought she was capable of falling - and there was a time less than a year ago when Chad made it clear he felt the same way. It was right after his guest appearance on So Random, the same week he told Sonny she would fall in love with him. That night, as the two Hollywood stars sat on a dock with nothing but the moonlight shining down upon them, Sonny was able to keep Chad at bay.

_"Ok, here's the deal," she said, finally meeting his eyes. "I've been thinking about the whole falling in love with you thing since the night you guest starred on So Random!, and I've talked to some people about it-,"_

_"Who have you talked to about it?"_

_"Tawni." Sonny went on, not noticing the surprised look that crossed Chad's face. Tawni was capable of giving advice? "Anyway, she helped me realize one thing. I really did want to kiss you that night, even if you had just kissed a pig."_

_Chad felt his mouth fall open. He'd been right all along! She really did want to kiss him!_

_"But it really doesn't matter how much I wanted to kiss you then, or how much I want to right now," Sonny went on to explain. "Nothing changes the fact that you're Chad Dylan Cooper, the star of Mackenzie Falls, Hollywood's bad boy, a heartthrob to girls everywhere. I'm just Allison 'Sonny' Munroe, an actress on So Random!, the new girl from Wisconsin."_

_Before she could go on, Chad stretched out his hand, cupping her chin. He forced her to look at him so he could stare straight into her eyes._

_"You are not now, nor have you ever been, just the new girl from Wisconsin."_

_"Maybe not in your eyes," she sighed, pushing away his hand with one shove. "That's how the rest of the world sees me though. Can you imagine what would happen if the two of us got together? Everyone went crazy in the past when they thought we were a couple. What would happen if we told them we really were?"_

_Chad could see where this was going. She was going to tell him they couldn't be together, that after all her thinking time, she'd reached her final decision. He decided it was time to fight back._

_"The press and fans may go crazy for awhile, but they'll get used to it," he said quickly. "They'll calm down after they see us together a few times, and then-,"_

_"What? And then what happens, Chad? Our shows gets canceled because neither of our casts will talk to us? Nico and Grady will disown me? You'll fall in love with your next co-star and everything will be for nothing?" She shook her head back and forth. "I'm not saying there can never be an us. I really like you, and I hope someday, we'll be able to try a real relationship. But in reality, I haven't been here very long, we don't know much about each other, and our shows are still rivals. If we give it a little more time, if the two of us are really meant to be, it'll happen sooner or later."_

If we give it a little more time, if the two of us are really meant to be, it'll happen sooner or later…Sonny hadn't even meant those words! She only said them in the first place to placate Chad, hoping he would give up on her before the topic of dating came up again. But he never stopped hanging out with her and her heart never stopped drumming every time they were alone together, whether it was on a plane flying home from Glandovia or taking the fall for Nico and Grady after sneaking them into Chad's private gym.

And now, thanks to her stupid mouth, Sonny would be going on her first date with Chad Dylan Cooper in less than twenty-four hours.

"What was I thinking?" Sonny moaned, pulling her cell phone out and dialing Chad's number. "I can't go on a date with Chad!"

When his phone began ringing, Chad was barely ten feet from Sonny's door. He could still hear the Randoms as they left the apartment complex, laughing about how stupid they were for thinking Sonny would ever go behind their backs and date the star of their biggest competition. Chad couldn't help but smirk. They were going to be so surprised when they found out their little Wisconsite was doing exactly what they deemed her unable to do.

Instead of answering his phone after seeing Sonny's picture pop up, Chad headed back to her apartment. He knocked then waited rather impatiently for someone to let him in. When the door finally swung open, Sonny stood there, a cell phone pressed to her ear. It lowered when she saw who her guest was.

"M'lady," he greeted, smiling cockily. "What's wrong? You didn't get your fill of Chad for the night?"

When Sonny's lips stayed downcast instead of forming the smile Chad liked so much, he knew it was time to stop messing around.

"Sonny?" he asked, reaching out for her hand. "Are you ok?"

"I think we need to talk."

Leaving Chad in the doorway with his hand grasping nothing but air, Sonny walked deeper into her living room, plopping down on the couch. Her back faced Chad, who struggled to shut the door behind him before joining his girlfriend.

Girlfriend - usually he hated that word. He was Chad Dylan Cooper, the guy every girl wanted. Why should he tie himself down to only one person?

_Because Sonny's different, _he reminded himself.

The room was silent as Sonny and Chad sat on the couch. Chad could hear the Mackenzie Falls theme playing from another room and knew Mrs. Munroe was watching his show. He was tempted to go toward the sound (Sonny was a Falls fan now, right? Should he let his own girlfriend miss out on a chance to see her boyfriend performing some real acting?), but he forced himself to stay. Sonny had her back resting against the armrest, her elbow on the back of the couch, and used both her hands to brush hair out of her face. Chad tried to help her, but Sonny pulled away.

"I couldn't even tell my friends the truth," she finally muttered, her voice almost too soft for Chad to hear. "I lied to Nico, Grady, Tawni, and Zora about us."

"So?" Chad didn't see the problem. "They don't need to know every detail about your life."

"No, but I usually tell them everything anyway." Her big brown eyes stared right at Chad. "If I can't even tell my best friends that I'm dating Chad Dylan Cooper, how do you expect me to tell the entire world?"

It was coming again. For the second time in one day, Sonny was going to call things off. Chad could see it in the way she looked at him. The laughter was gone from her eyes. All sense of humor had left her face. All Chad could see sitting before him was a melancholy comedy actress.

He had to stop her before it was too late.

"Say no more, Sonny," he ordered, hanging his head as he climbed to his feet. "I already know what you're thinking,"

"Really, Chad?" An expression of relief crossed Sonny's features. "I'm so happy you understand! So…we're good then?"

"We are so good," Chad agreed. "I mean, if you're too scared to date the great Chad Dylan Cooper…"

Just as he knew it would, that got Sonny's attention. He stood beside her door, his hand inching toward the knob, when he heard Sonny leave the couch. Even without looking at her, Chad knew she was glaring at him, more than likely with her hands folded over her chest.

"Excuse me," she said, tapping his shoulder. "I'm sorry, but it sounded like you just accused me of being afraid to date you."

Chad faced her, glad he had been an actor long enough to keep his lips from smiling. Sonny was furious.

"You are afraid to date me," he said a second time. "Why else would you have broken up with me two times in one day? Let's face it, Sonny: You love me, but you're afraid you'll never live up to my standards. Not that I blame you," he added when Sonny's jaw dropped. "I mean, come on. I am Chad Dylan Cooper. I do have pretty high standards when it comes to who I date."

"I'm not afraid I won't fit into your stupid standards!" Sonny exclaimed.

"Then prove it. Go on a date with me tomorrow night."

Whatever reason Sonny had in her head while sitting on the couch was long gone. She was too angry to remember her reasons for not wanting to date Chad. Now her only goal was trying to win the fight.

"Why would I want to go on a date with you?" she demanded. "You're conceited, arrogant, not to mention a jerk-,"

"All I'm asking for is one date," Chad cut her off. "Give me that much before you decide we're wrong for each other."

Sonny didn't even pause to consider her answer.

"Fine! I'll go on our date tomorrow night - but it's your only chance to prove we should be dating. If I still want to break up at the end of the night, we're breaking up!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Good!"

"Good!"

"Sonny!" a new voice called, surprising Sonny and Chad. They were so used to only hearing their two voices. "I just got a phone call about the noise coming from our apartment! Stop shouting at Chad and give the boy a break!"

Knowing better than to argue with her mom, Sonny used both her hands to push Chad into the hallway. Preparing to shut the door behind him, she stopped at the last moment.

"Tomorrow night's date better be amazing, Cooper," she warned. "We're going to get a lot of attention from the media if we announce we're dating. I need to know it'll be worth it in the long run."

"You're dating me, remember?" Chad scoffed. "Of course our date is going to be amazing!"

As the door finally shut and Chad headed down the hallway, whistling happily as he went, there was only one thought running through his mind: His name was Chad Dylan Cooper and no girl would ever break a date with him - not even Sonny Munroe, who was the exception to almost all of his rules. This would be the one she never broke.

Well, other than when she called it off after bursting onto the Mackenzie Falls set. Chad didn't count that though. After all, that date was back on schedule now.

And, whether Sonny wanted to believe it or not, Chad was going to give her a date amazing enough to make her realize it didn't matter what the media said about the two of them. She would be too mesmerized by Chad Dylan Cooper to care about what the rest of the world wanted.

All he had to do was think of the setting for his and Sonny's first date.

Author's Note: Thanks so much for the help coming up with a storyline for this episode! Sorry if this sucks…I honestly don't think it was my best work, but trust me, I have better ideas for later episodes. Like for the Halloween episode, I'm going to - Well, I can't tell you right now because that would ruin the surprise.

Wait…I have 408 reviews?

Four…HUNDRED…and…eight…reviews?

But…but…how is that even possible? When I posted the last episode, there were 313 reviews. That jumped up almost a hundred - and all I did was post a few author's notes! Oh my goodness, you guys are epic! I have NEVER had a story reach this many reviews! Thank you soooooooooooo much! I love each and every one of you more than you can imagine!

Oh, what the heck. You guys deserve a small prize! I'm going to tell you what my title is going to be for the Halloween episode:

**Chad Dylan Cooper Never Dies**

Haha. Can anyone figure out what happens? If you take a guess turn out to be right, you'll receive a prize!

Anyway, thanks so much for letting me take a month off and still supporting me. You guys have no idea how happy I was when I found out that despite my promise to leave FF, you actually wanted me to come back. I'll never be able to thank you enough! I hope I'm not letting you down with how the story's turning out…

As always, review, leave suggestions for upcoming episodes, take a guess as to what will happen in my version of the Halloween episode, let me know if you saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows yet and had to go see it again because that's how amazing it was…

Thanks for reading!


	33. Episode 32: FFTF Part Two

Sorry it took me so long to upload, guys! You know me by now...I get distracted easily. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Are we good?

Note: This starts right after Falling for the Falls part 2 ends. Enjoy!

Episode 32:

Falling for the Falls, Part Two

**Chad Dylan Cooper Always Wins the Bet**

"_What is this?" Nico demanded._

"_It's the bill for their date," Tawni explained, studying the piece of paper in his hands._

_While Grady and Zora gathered closer, wanting to confirm Tawni's words for themselves, the four Randoms heard an all too familiar voice drifting through the air. Chad Dylan Cooper stood at the window in Sonny's apartment._

"_Who's the fool now, suckers?"_

_Sonny appeared in the window frame beside her boyfriend just in time to watch Grady snatch the bill from Nico's hand. Even across the distance separating her from her cast mates, she saw Grady's sheepish grin._

"_Hey, Sonny…Would you have any coupons for this?" he asked, waving the receipt around hopefully._

"You didn't even pay for our date?" Sonny asked, turning her attention to Chad. "How chivalrous of you."

"I didn't not pay for the date because of anything you did, Sonny," Chad protested, still smirking as he watched the Randoms turning their pockets inside out, searching for change. "I didn't pay because I needed to get back at your friends somehow."

"Get back at them?" Sonny repeated, wrinkling her brow. "Why? What did they do to you?"

Finally tearing his eyes from Sonny's cast mates, Chad looked down at his girlfriend in surprise. Had she really forgotten everything her friends had done in the past two days?

"Well, for starters, they broke into my limo while we were on our way to our first date - stealing at least five paychecks worth of food, I might add!" he explained, holding up a finger to count off the first offense. He added another. "Then, when I came to talk to you the next morning in the commissary, they said a date with me is like going to Aqua World. And, finally-," Chad gestured toward the window. "Look what they drew on my billboard!"

There was a smile on Sonny's face once Chad stopped speaking. She wasn't staring at his ruined billboard though - no, she was focused on Chad Dylan Cooper for some unfathomable reason.

"You know something, Chad? You're kind of cute when you're angry."

"Really?" Chad pulled Sonny's hand, dragging her across the apartment. "In that case, let's go talk to the Randoms. That never fails to get me mad!"

He almost fell when Sonny stopped following, her hand still clutching Chad's. As he stumbled, trying to regain his balance without looking like a total idiot, Sonny gently tugged him closer, taking his other hand once he was facing her again.

"If this is going to work," she said, nodding at first Chad then herself, "You need to at least try getting along with Nico, Grady, Tawni, and Zora."

Chad was so caught up in the feeling of Sonny's hands in his that he almost let her words slip by without comprehending them. Then, as their meaning sank in, he jumped away as though Sonny had suggested he give up his entire acting career.

"Get along with who? The _Randoms_? But Sonny, you know they hate me."

"If I'm dating the cast of Mackenzie Falls by going out with you, then you're doing the same with my cast. You can either try your best to become friends with them or we can break up again…"

Try getting along with the Randoms? Befriending them even? Honestly, Chad could never see either scenario happening. He had a feeling that even if he tried acting civil toward Nico, Grady, Tawni, or Zora, they wouldn't accept his new attitude. After all, Mackenzie Falls and So Random had been competing for years. How was an entire feud supposed to end abruptly just because two opposing people decided to date?

Still, Chad could tell by the expression on Sonny's face that she wasn't joking. If he spoke his thoughts out loud, she really was going to break up with him. So, giving her his brightest smile, he made a promise he wasn't sure he would be able to keep.

"Fine. If it makes you feel better, I'll start trying to be a little nicer." He sighed, pulling a wallet from his back pocket. "I guess I'll start by paying for our date. I'll see you tomorrow, m'lady."

With that, Chad turned, walked out of the apartment, and must have gone back to his billboard judging by the angry shouts flowing in through Sonny's window from her cast mates, all of whom seemed to be taking their anger out on Chad for trying to force them to pay. Sonny ran to watch, wondering if Chad would try something when he thought she wasn't looking. Would he take the bait the Randoms threw at him, continuing the argument they obviously wanted him to join?

To her astonishment, Chad stayed silent while the other four teens yelled at him, calmly taking the receipt from Grady. He laid it flat on the table, put a few crisp bills on top, and walked away. Tawni, Grady, Zora, and Nico stood there, dumbfounded.

"So?"

Sonny whirled around upon hearing the new voice. Her mom stood behind her, an eager smile on her face.

"How did your second first date go?" she demanded. "Did Chad spit up all over you again? Was he nicer this time? How awkward was it dating your own rival? Come on, Sonny, spill the details! Don't leave me hanging!"

Taking another glance at the billboard, Sonny could only think of one answer to give.

"He's changed," she said simply. "And that's all I'm going to say…for now. Goodnight, mom."

"But, Sonny-,"

The only reply was a door closing as Sonny left the room.

* * *

Sonny wasn't sure what woke her up. From what she could tell after her eyes fluttered open, everything was quiet. Glancing at her clock, she noticed it was way too early for her alarm to have gone off. What then made her wake up at four o'clock in the morning? _Forget that! _Sonny thought, lying her head back on her pillow. _I'm going back to sleep or else I'll be walking around the studio tomorrow like a zombie!_

Just as her eyes closed, a soft noise met her ears, followed almost instantly by another.

_Plink, plink! _

At first, Sonny stayed still, wondering if she was imagining the sound. Surely her mom would have heard it if it was an intruder trying to break in, wouldn't she? Maybe an animal of some sort had climbed into the vents. If Zora could crawl her way through the tiny pipes, a small furry creature could, too. Perhaps a squirrel had gotten stuck up there and was being loud as it tried to get out.

_Plink, plink! Plink, plink! Plink, plink!_

Knowing she wouldn't be able to sleep with the consistent noise, Sonny grudgingly climbed from under her covers. Without taking the time to brush her hair or even slip a jacket on over her pajamas, she left her bedroom. Leaving the lights off since she knew the apartment like the back of her hand, she stopped in the middle of the living room, giving her eyes a chance to adjust.

Nothing looked out of place. Each pillow was on the couch exactly where Connie had left them. The wastebasket Sonny had thrown Mackenzie Falls DVDs in sat on the coffee table. And, to top everything off, whatever had been making the noise seemed to have shut up.

_Stupid squirrel,_ Sonny thought bitterly, beginning the path back to her bed. She stopped before taking more than two steps.

_Plink, plink!_

Was it just her, or was the sound coming from the window? Drawing the curtain back with one hand, rubbing the sleep from her eye with the other, Sonny's jaw fell the moment she stared through the glass.

Chad Dylan Cooper stood in front of his billboard. He was still dressed in the clothes he had worn on his date and, judging by the small pile of stones at his feet, it was him who woke Sonny up by throwing things at her window, not a squirrel trapped in the vents. He waved after noticing Sonny, motioning for her to open the window.

"What are you doing here?" she cried, leaning her upper torso as far as she could go without falling. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to wake you up?" Chad shot back. "I've been out here for at least an hour. Nice pajamas, by the way."

Wrapping her arms around her in an attempt to hide her outfit, Sonny shook her head.

"Go home, Chad. It's late."

"Wait! Don't go back to bed yet, Sonny! I need to say something first!"

Sonny wanted to head back to her room. She was tired; her eyes were dropping and she had no idea how much longer she could make them stay open. Every time she blinked, they stayed shut a little longer. Still, it was completely out of Chad's character to throw rocks at a girl's window for an hour straight…

Wasn't it?

As much as Sonny didn't want to admit it, she only knew about Chad Dylan Cooper, the actor. She never met Chad Dylan Cooper, the boyfriend. Was it typical for him to woo girls by visiting their houses in the early hours of the morning?

_No,_ Sonny decided. _Maybe Romeo would make midnight runs to see Juliet, but Chad wouldn't. I guess I might as well figure out why he's here…My bed will still be there if I wait another five minutes._

"Alright," Sonny agreed, sitting on the windowpane. "Talk, Cooper."

Mimicking Sonny's gesture, Chad sat down, too, allowing his feet to dangle over the edge of the building. He swung them back and forth, reminding Sonny of a child learning how to swing for the first time. She grinned. Even Chad Dylan Cooper could act like a normal person every once in awhile.

"So, I was wondering…Who won the bet?"

From Chad's new spot, the moon reflected perfectly off his shiny blonde hair. Sonny felt her heart quickening as she watched him. It was amazing how much a person's appearance could change when the natural lighting was gone, leaving nothing but stars to enhance their features. Chad's face looked like it was actually glowing and she found her hands twisting nervously together as she resisted the urge to tell him exactly how handsome he was.

She was so busy listening to her hammering heart, the sentence Chad said made no sense to Sonny.

"The bet?" she repeated slowly. "What bet are you talking about?"

Chad smirked before answering. "You know, the one we made last night where you said tonight's date would determine whether or not it was worth it to be my girlfriend. Well?"

"Well what?"

"Well, have you decided yet? Because, now that your cast knows, the public is going to find out. If you want to break up, we have to do it now before all the rumors start."

Sonny stayed silent for several long moments. Did she want to continue dating Chad? Of course she did! Did she want to deal with the media telling her she wasn't good enough to date him? No, that part she could live without. Was she willing to deal with any rumors that might fly thanks to her relationship with Chad in order to stay his girlfriend?

"Sonny?" Chad prompted. "You don't want to break up, do you? If our date didn't prove how great I am - how great we are together - then I can come up with something better. I could take you to Paris or…Or…"

But Sonny was already shaking her head.

"You won the bet. It's still too early to tell, but I think this - meaning, us - I think it's worth a try…Don't you?"

"Yeah," Chad agreed quickly. "I definitely think it's worth a shot."

A soft breeze chilled Sonny's shoulders and she hugged them tighter, wondering if the weather was the real reason behind her goose bumps or if the way Chad was staring at her had something to do with it. Either way, she knew it was time to say goodbye.

"Can I go to bed now?" she requested.

"I'm leaving anyway," Chad replied, climbing to his feet. "Hey, Munroe?"

Sonny stopped as her fingers closed on the glass, preparing to shut her window for the remainder of the evening. "Yeah?"

"I…Is it okay if I…"

Somehow knowing exactly what he was trying to say, Sonny finished his thought.

"Usually I leave here around 9:15 so I can get there around the same time my cast mates do," she explained. "Pick me up then?"

"I'll be here. Oh, and Sonny?"

She looked at him again, waiting for him to finish.

"Could you try to wear something, you know…that will make you look as hot as you did in Tawni's jeans? Remember, you are dating the great Chad Dylan Cooper."

Sonny couldn't help the blush from creeping into her cheeks as she finally got back into her bed. This time, when she tried falling asleep, it wasn't because of a squirrel that she wasn't able to slumber.

Author's Note: Once again, sorry for the slow update! If you guys are still reading this (which I hope you are), please review and let me know. Oh, and in case you're wondering why the rest of my stories have been taken down, it's because I write too much FF. Right now, I'm currently taking a college course (unofficially, of course) and trying to write my own non-FF series. So, I have decided that in my attempt to write an actual story, this will be the only FF I update. If you would like to read one of my other stories again though, either review or PM me and I would be happy to send you a copy. Do we understand each other?

Ok, so I have an important question for you guys: For Sonny With a Secret, would you like to see something that takes place during/after the episode OR the dates telling the stories behind the pictures on Chad's phone? Please let me know when you review!


	34. Episode 33: Sonny With A Secret

Disclaimer: I don't own swac, Ihop, or the zoo (although it would be sooooooooo cool to have all those animals!)

A note before you begin reading:

1. The very first scene takes place at the end of my last chapter, the morning after Chad and Sonny had their late-night conversation

2. The second clip is the story behind their zoo picture

3. The third part is the story behind how Sonny became Short-stack

4. The final piece is what happened on the way home from Wisconsin

Episode 33:

Sonny With A Secret

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Eat At IHOP**

Connie Munroe stood at the window overlooking the parking lot, trying to finish her morning coffee without burning her throat. Her hands shook violently, the mug between them threatening to fall if she wasn't careful. How could she help but feel so giddy? Chad Dylan Cooper, the boy her daughter had been crushing on for almost a year now, would be arriving any minute. Sonny was actually dating Mackenzie!

'_His name is not Mackenzie,' _Connie reminded herself, watching a red car drive into her line of vision. She frowned when a man she didn't know exited from it. _'If he's going to start coming over here all the time, I need to learn to call him by his real name - even if Mackenzie suits him better!'_

When the cup in her hands nearly tipped over, which would have left a lovely brown mess on her floor, Connie gave up and set her coffee on the counter. With two unoccupied hands, she used one of them to roll up the sleeve of her bathrobe, revealing a watch Sonny had bought her for her last birthday.

"Sonny!" she called anxiously. "Aren't you ready yet?"

"Of course I am, mom! I just lock myself in the bathroom for fun!"

Usually Connie would discipline Sonny for showing attitude in her tone, but this morning, she was willing to make an exception. From the five minutes she had seen her daughter before she disappeared to take a shower, she could tell something was different. A very tired looking girl explained to her Chad was driving her to the studio. Connie wondered if that was why Sonny seemed so tired. Had she stayed up all night worrying about how to act now that she and Chad were making the transition into boyfriend and girlfriend? Was she nervous how her first day as Chad's girlfriend would play out?

Giving the parking lot one last survey to make sure Chad wasn't early, Connie left her post, heading toward the bathroom. She stopped outside the door, hesitating whether she should knock or leave Sonny alone. Grumbling flowed from the room, indicating that whatever Sonny was working on, whether it was hair, clothes, or make-up, wasn't going as smoothly as hoped. The fact Sonny cared enough to complain told Connie something was up; Sonny liked to look nice, but she never put this much effort into her appearance.

"Can I come in?" she asked softly, waiting patiently for a reply. "I might be able to help. I've had a few boyfriends over the years, you know."

A long moment passed when Connie thought Sonny might ignore her. Then, the lock clicked as the bathroom door opened-

-Revealing a disgruntled teenager who looked as though she had broken into her mother's make-up for the first time in her life.

"I…I was trying to hide the circles under my eyes," Sonny explained, smiling sheepishly. "I guess I ended up going a little overboard…Good thing I work on a comedy show, right?"

"We still have a few minutes," Connie replied, ushering Sonny back into the room. "Come on, we can work together! I'll tackle make-up if you finish your hair."

Picking up a washcloth lying next to the sink, Connie ran cold water over it before attacking Sonny's face, whipping off the excess beauty supplies. Reaching around her mom, Sonny picked up the curling iron, setting to work immediately on her hair, which was curled on the left side, straight on the right. Her fingers worked fast and furious, only pausing when Connie blocked her vision with the washcloth.

"Stupid dating rules," Sonny complained. "I don't get it. If the guy wants his girlfriend to look good, why does he keep her up all night? I wouldn't have dark circles under my eyes if Chad wouldn't have woken me up at who-knows-what-time this morning!"

"Chad woke you up?" Connie repeated.

If Sonny noticed the surprise in her mom's voice, she didn't show it. She nodded vigorously, bringing a yelp of pain from her lips as the curling iron slipped, leaving a red mark on her neck. Gasping, Sonny pushed Connie aside, leaning toward the mirror with her shirt pulled away from her skin, showing off her burn.

"Darn it!" she cried, slamming her fist against the glass. "Now I really look stupid! Not even comedy actresses walk around with burns on their bodies! People will make fun of me and come up with new nicknames and Chad will want to break up because he's the greatest actor of our generation and can't date someone who doesn't even know how to use a simple curling iron and-,"

"Sonny!" Connie interrupted, forcing Sonny's fingers to let go, allowing her shirt to fall back into place. She brushed a few strands of hair forward. "There! Now no one can tell anything happened!"

Studying her reflection, Sonny fixed the material of her top and brushed her hair, making sure no traces of her red skin were visible. Just as she was picking up the device causing her latest dilemma, a loud _moo_ reverberated from below. Forgetting her hair, Sonny grabbed her cell phone.

"Oh my gosh! Chad is on his way up! I'm not ready yet, there's so much I have to do before I'll be presentable!"

"Presentable? What's wrong with how you look now?"

"Mom, this is Chad Dylan Cooper we're talking about! You did great with my face, but I can still see how tired I look, so I'll have to fix that. I haven't had a chance to use hairspray yet, which means my curls might come out, so I have to do that, too. And then - oh, you're just going to have to distract Chad until I'm ready!"

As Sonny scrambled, her hands reaching for a million items at once, Connie grabbed her shoulders roughly. Sonny tried resisting, but Connie held on until her daughter stood still. Lowering her head, she forced Sonny to stare into her eyes.

"I want you to listen to me," she ordered. "If you keep panicking like this, you really are going to lose Chad. Guys don't like it when their girlfriends start acting crazy. Believe me, Sonny - I've lost more than one by acting the same way you are right now. Chad wants to date you, Sonny Munroe, the girl who isn't afraid to be herself, not Sonny Munroe, the girl who tries too hard to impress him. It's just Chad, remember?"

"Just Chad? How can you say it's just Chad when I-," Sonny protested before falling silent. Her expression softened as Connie's speech sank in. "You're right…It is just Chad, the same guy I've seen every day since moving to Hollywood! He's seen episodes of So Random and, let's face it." At this point, Sonny let out a loud laugh. "I've worn costumes on there that made me look a lot worse than I do right now! For example, the fat suit I had on the first time I spoke to Chad. If he could be seen talking to me when I looked like that, what am I worried about?"

Nevertheless, when the doorbell sounded through the apartment, Sonny's eyes widened in terror, her breath hitched, and she gave Connie a pleading expression. Rolling her eyes, she consented.

"Fine. I'll distract Chad long enough for you to make your big entrance," she gave in. "Just try to stay calm, okay?"

Connie left the bathroom, noticing the audible sound of the door closing behind her, hiding Sonny for the second time that morning. Making her way across the living room, Connie put on her best smile before greeting Chad, who stood in the hallway, looking almost as flustered as Sonny.

"Good morning, Mack - I mean, Chad," Connie said, motioning for him to come in. "I'll just let Sonny know you're here."

But when Connie turned in the direction of the bathroom, she found no reason to inform her daughter of her boyfriend's arrival. Sonny, walking slowly and trying her best to keep her natural grin on her lips, was already coming forward.

Any doubts Sonny had about not looking exactly like Chad's usual girlfriends were futile. Connie watched as Chad's jaw fell - only for a second, of course, before he picked it up, refusing to let Sonny know how much of an impact she had had. Instead, he nodded a welcome in her direction.

"We should probably get to work," he stated, clearing his throat. "You, uh, look nice, by the way."

"Thanks," Sonny replied, blushing wildly. "You don't look so bad yourself."

As Sonny stepped past Chad into the hallway, the actor turned his attention to Connie, handing her a box of chocolate.

"For you," he said.

"Don't think these make up for the fact I'm allowing you to date my baby," Connie reminded him. "If you do anything to her, I know where you work. I can track you down easily, and I know a great guy who I can rent attack dogs from."

His face paling, Chad smiled nervously, took several steps away from Connie, and then ran down the hall as fast as he could. She waved after him sweetly as though nothing had happened. Man, did she love having a teenage boy to harass!

The car ride to Condor Studio was quiet and awkward. Neither Chad nor Sonny seemed quite sure what to say to each other and each was too afraid of saying something the other would find offensive to even try beginning a conversation. Chad refused to take his eyes from the road. Sonny stared out her window like she had never seen such amazing scenery.

Finally, the endless ride came to an end. Chad parked in his usual spot right outside the Mackenzie Falls set. It wasn't until he had shut off his engine that a thought occurred to him.

"Oh…Did you want me to drop you off at the So Random stage?"

"No," Sonny protested quickly, unbuckling her seatbelt. "This is fine. I can walk from here."

"Are you sure?" Chad persisted. "I don't mind driving you."

"It's fine, Chad. Really. I like walking anyway."

"Then at least let me walk with you."

The same silence that filled Chad's car followed the teens as they made their way to Sonny's set. A few times, Sonny caught Chad staring at her, but whenever she glanced at him, he either looked away or smiled tensely. They kept a distance between their bodies, something Sonny was thankful for. At least that way she didn't have to worry about trying to figure out whether or not to hold his hand.

Stopping right outside the prop house where the other Randoms could be heard conversing, Chad and Sonny faced each other.

"So…" Chad started.

"So…" Sonny repeated.

"I better get going. Today's a big day over at the Falls. I have some real acting to get done - not that you would know anything about that."

"Actually, I have a pretty busy day planned, too. I have to write some sketches. You know, because over here at So Random, we write our own scripts."

"I wouldn't exactly call it a 'script'…"

"I wouldn't exactly call whatever it is you do 'real acting'."

"Really?" was the best comeback Chad could think of. "I guess we'll have to continue this argument at lunch!"

"I guess we will!" Sonny confirmed.

Giving her fingers a tiny squeeze, Chad tucked his hands into his pockets, heading toward his set. Sonny couldn't stop the grin from overtaking her as soon as he was out of sight. Her mom was right; even though Sonny was under the official girlfriend title, nothing had to change between her and Chad, other than acting more civil so they could get their casts to bond. She could still fight with him, make fun of his show, and do whatever else she wanted to do. Only now, when Chad shot back retorts, they would know it was all just a joke. Boyfriends and girlfriends teased each other all the time.

…Didn't they?

Watching Chad leave, repeating their last exchange in her head, Sonny nodded confidently. _Who cares what normal couples do?_ she decided. _Since when have Chad and I ever claimed to be normal? If we want to fight, then we'll fight!'_

Because, truthfully, what would a relationship with Chad be without a few yelling fits every once in awhile?

* * *

As the days flew by, Sonny and Chad fell into an easy relaxation with each other. They assumed everyone went through the same problem they had at the beginning, unsure exactly how to act on the first day of dating, but they were convinced no one ever grew as comfortable around each other as the two of them felt. They visited each other's sets. They set together every day at lunch. Their friends cried out in disgust whenever Chad and Sonny showed some sort of affection to one another.

Chad found himself whistling as he made his way to the prop house. It was Saturday afternoon and he cancelled rehearsals for the rest of the day. His plan was to surprise Sonny by stealing her away from the studio and spending the hours doing something together instead. He knew his plans were spoiled the moment he joined the Randoms.

Grady stood near the door, dancing on his feet with childlike glee covering his features, wearing a stuffed monkey around his neck. Tawni wore some kind of African dress, a dark orange color with black animals patterned on it, anything from elephants to lions to zebras. Zora stayed behind Tawni, a pair of binoculars covering her eyes, pretending the animals on Tawni's dress were real and shouting, "Wow, take a look at that lion! I think he just ate a hippo!" On the other side of the room, Nico and Sonny were taking food from the fridge and placing it in a cooler.

"We're going to the zoo!" Grady told Chad proudly. "Can you guess which animal I want to see the most? I bet you can't!"

"Oh, I don't know," Chad played along. "Could it be a monkey?"

"I told you you wouldn't be able to guess it! I want to see the polar bears!"

Before Chad could question why Grady wore a monkey if he was more interested in bears, Zora turned her binoculars on him.

"Sonny, get over here!" she called in excitement. "I just spotted a Chad Dylan Cooper! They're on the endangered species list, you know. They got into a fight over who was the best actor and ended up killing each other until there was only one left!"

Although Zora tried to get Sonny's attention, Tawni was the one who approached Chad. She smirked at him, tossing her hair over her shoulder proudly.

"You came here to see Sonny, didn't you?" she asked, taking Chad's silence as confirmation. "Well, you're out of luck today, Pooper. She promised to take us to the zoo!"

"And what makes you think she won't invite me?" Chad demanded.

"You're just jealous," Tawni informed him. "Sonny chose to spend the day with us instead of you. Get over it because she's probably going to do it more and more after she realizes how boring you are. A person can only take so much Chad before they go insane."

Chad opened his mouth to retort, but Nico picked that moment to appear at Tawni's side, carrying the cooler he and Sonny had been packing. He held it above his head in a poor imitation of a strong man.

"Lunch is ready," he announced. "Let's get this show on the road!"

Grady was the first one out, running through the doorway with Nico right on his heels. Zora followed after the two boys while Tawni gave Chad a lingering glare as she trailed behind her cast mates. Sonny stayed behind, making sure her friends were out of sight before wrapping her arms around Chad's neck.

"Sorry, but I can't stay and talk," she apologized. "Grady's been begging to go to the zoo for a while, so I thought today would be a good time to take him. You don't mind, do you?"

"Nah. You go have fun on your cute little field trip," Chad replied, gaining a smile from his girlfriend as she began following the Randoms. "I'll just stay here…All alone…Without getting to see any penguins…Or tigers…Or-,"

"Do you want to come with us?"

Chad shook his head stubbornly. "No! I wouldn't want to ruin your special day with your cast!"

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Sonny insisted. "It'll be more fun if I have all my friends with me, not just some of them."

"Well, when you put it that way…"

Nico, Grady, Tawni, and Zora waited for Sonny several feet from the prop house. They frowned when Chad joined their group, Tawni looking more disgusted than anyone. Smirking, Chad slipped his arm around Sonny's shoulders, gluing her to his side.

"You're not going to regret inviting me," he said, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. "I'm going to buy you balloons, ice cream, and all the souvenirs you want! Then, we'll take a picture so we can always remember how much fun we had!"

Hearing the moaning and groaning of the So Random cast made having to spend an entire day with them almost bearable.

* * *

Furious at Chad for foiling their zoo trip, the Randoms protested when Marshall spoke to them about throwing a party for Sonny celebrating her first year working on So Random. He wanted to have a huge get-together, inviting the whole studio to hang out in their prop house.

"Think of the cake you would have to buy to feed so many people!" Tawni reminded him. "I bet it would be pretty expensive."

Knowing Marshall didn't like spending more money than needed, Tawni, Nico, and Grady watched in delight as their director nodded.

"You're right. We'll keep the party small," he agreed. "How about we only invite the Mackenzie Falls cast?"

"That's a great idea!" Nico said in fake enthusiasm. "Then you'll only have to feed us, Chad, Penelope, Ferguson, Skylar-,"

"You know what? Why don't we keep it to just the So Random family?" Marshall suggested, becoming more nervous with every name Nico added.

When Chad found out he wasn't getting an invite to Sonny's party, he had to do something. No way was he going to let the Randoms show him up by remembering Sonny's one year anniversary while he stood in the background, looking like the forgetful boyfriend. He would just take Sonny out before her party with her cast mates, someplace private, intimate, and-

"Ihop?" he asked incredulously. "Wouldn't you rather eat at a five-star restaurant?"

"You're going to love it here, Chad!" Sonny said, pushing open the passenger door on Chad's car. "They serve breakfast food twenty-four hours a day! It's so much fun to eat pancakes at dinnertime!"

Chad doubted he would love a place called the International House of Pancakes, or the Pancake House as he referred to it. He had never heard of a celebrity eating in such a place and he was far from excited to be the first. People goggled as he and Sonny made their way to a table, sitting down between an older couple and a family of four. A little boy, whipped cream smeared all over his face, watched Chad with his mouth hanging open.

Scanning his menu, Chad was determined to figure out what he wanted to eat by the time the waitress first visited their table. The sooner he ordered, the sooner he could leave. Sonny, on the other hand, took her time deciding, asking Chad what he thought sounded better between two or three different selections.

By the time the waitress arrived, Chad was hiding behind his menu, hoping no one would recognize him, while Sonny poured over hers, still undecided.

"Would you like a few more minutes?" the waitress offered.

"No!" Chad exclaimed. "We're ready now. I'll take an egg white with tomatoes on the side." As his order was written on a tablet of paper, Chad added, "Don't let them touch. Otherwise, it's going back!"

Sonny seemed a bit surprised by Chad's strict instructions, but she didn't have time to question him before the waitress asked her what she would like. Sonny glanced over the menu a final time.

"Just give me a short-stack, please!" she requested happily.

The waitress disappeared, taking the menus with her. Chad had nothing to hide behind. If a Tween Weekly reporter showed up, there would be no way to deny he was sitting inside a Pancake House.

"You're one of _those_ people."

Catching him off-guard, Chad locked eyes with his girlfriend. She smirked at him from across the table, twirling a lock of hair on her finger. For a second, he forgot his location, focusing only on the beautiful girl before him- HIS beautiful girl.

"Excuse me?" he questioned, wondering if he had heard her correctly.

"You know what I'm talking about. You're one of those people who can't let his food touch."

"Think about it, Sonny. Why would I want to eat eggs that have touched tomatoes? If I wanted a combination, I would order them as a soup."

"You have taken science classes, haven't you? All the food you eat winds up in the same spot anyway."

"That doesn't mean I want them meeting up before they get there."

Somehow, Sonny made Chad relax. As nervous as he was to eat at a Pancake House filled with common people, having Sonny sharing the experience with him made it actually - dare he say it - fun. They spent their time talking about the most ridicules topics, laughing too loud for their quiet surroundings, and exchanging Chad's phone between them, taking pictures of each other. Chad never noticed when the people on either side of him left their tables; that's how much attention he had on his girlfriend.

It seemed five minutes later when the waitress was back, setting a short-stack in front of Sonny and an egg white with tomatoes on the side before Chad, moving slowly to make sure Chad's food didn't touch. Reminding Sonny and Chad to let her know if they needed anything else, she left them to their dinners.

Picking up her silverware, Sonny was surprised when her boyfriend raised his phone again.

"Chad, what are you doing?"

"Taking a picture of your short-stake."

Sonny waited for Chad to put his phone away before digging in to her pancakes. She had the first bit waiting at her lips when she heard the camera going off a second time.

"Stop taking pictures of my short-stack!" she ordered.

"Why?"

"Because it's kind of hard to eat it when I know a picture's about to be taken!"

Rolling his eyes, Chad slipped his phone into his pocket. Sonny continued glaring at him, her arms folded over her chest, silently telling him she didn't believe he wasn't going to pull it back out. To prove he wasn't, Chad began eating his egg white. Satisfied, Sonny finally began eating her pancakes.

Later, after dropping Sonny off at her apartment, Chad went through the pictures taken at the Pancake House. He deleted most of them (if anyone ever got their hands on his phone, he didn't want them having access to all his personal photos), only deciding to keep two of them at the end: the two he had taken after the waitress dropped off their food. He smiled at the expression on Sonny's face as she smiled at him over her short-stake…

Remembering something he had forgotten to say, Chad opened a new text quickly, punching in Sonny's number.

**Almost forgot: Happy first year in Hollywood, Short-stack!**

A few seconds later, her reply came.

_Thanks, Egg White With Tomatoes On The Side - Don't Let Them Touch; Otherwise, It's Going Back!_

It was the first time Chad had ever been in a relationship long enough to have his own nickname.

* * *

With Penelope behind bars, it didn't take Tawni long to get sick of Wisconsin. In her own words, the state was "too cheesy" for her liking (a pun that left Sonny sighing and the rest of her cast laughing). Climbing into her car, Tawni didn't protest when Nico, Grady, and Zora climbed in with her. However, when Sonny and Chad tried to get in, she locked the doors.

"Sorry, but this vehicle only seats five people," she explained, not sounding sorry at all. "Since you would bring the total to six, you'll have to find your own way back."

"You're just going to leave us stranded here?" Sonny demanded.

"But Penelope crashed my private jet," Chad jumped in. "We have no mode of transportation."

"That sounds like a 'you' problem, not a 'Tawni' problem."

And that was how Chad ended up buying first-class tickets for a flight back to Hollywood.

The huge couch in the first-class coach was made of leather, the TV took up almost an entire wall, and the food tasted better than anything Sonny ever received at the studio. Still, she tried to ignore the luxuries as she studied the book in her hands, the words running together as Chad cheered for his favorite team, watching football or basketball or some other sport Sonny refused to pay attention to.

"What are you reading?" Chad asked once he realized Sonny wasn't cheering with him. "I thought we've been over this: TV is better than books."

"As much as I would love arguing with you, I don't have time," Sonny explained, never taking her eyes away from the pages. "This is A Raisin in the Sun, the book I was supposed to give a report on. I have to send one back to Wisconsin as soon as I'm finished with it."

Chad felt confused. "But…that guy isn't your teacher anymore."

"Nope."

"Then why do you still have to do his assignments?"

Giving Chad an 'I-shouldn't-have-to-explain-this-to-you' look, Sonny launched into her story.

"I have to finish my report because, if I don't, my grade goes into the computer as an F. With an F, my entire GPA will fall so when they're sent to Ms. Bitterman, it will give me a lower grade in her class, too. Are there any other questions or can I get back to reading now?"

Without waiting for a response, Sonny turned back to her book. Looking between his girlfriend and the television screen, Chad hit the off button, quieting the extra noise. He scooted closer to Sonny.

"Now what do you want?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to help you with your report!"

Sonny searched his face, knowing he had to be kidding around. No way was Chad Dylan Cooper asking to help with something, much less with a book report. Granted, she couldn't spot any signs of his teasing, but it was the only logical explanation.

"You can't help me," she finally concluded, shifting her position until her back rested against the armrest, blocking Chad from seeing anything but the book's cover. "You only read three things, remember? Your scripts, your reviews, and your checks."

"Well today, I'm adding a fourth thing to my list."

He reached for the book but Sonny kept it pressed to her chest with one hand, using the other to swat Chad's away. He reached for her side, the spot he knew she was ticklish, and Sonny reached down quickly, trying to block his attack. She had moved without thinking her plan through. The book slipped from her grasp and Chad grabbed it with sly fingers.

"Ahem," he said, clearing his throat as he opened to the first chapter. "I'll just read it out loud so we can finish the book at the same time, alright? Then we'll start on the actual report."

Sonny opened her mouth to protest. Chad blocked her off by beginning to read.

_It was a hot summer day. So hot, in fact, ten year old Stevie felt like collapsing in his bed and sleeping the day away. Unfortunately for Stevie, his mom had other plans. One of them involved taking a box of raisins with him outside and eating them while sitting under the shade of a tree in his backyard._

"_I don't care how hot you get out there," Stevie's mom said. "You are not allowed back inside this house until every last raisin is gone!"_

_Stevie hated raisins. Their wrinkly purple appearance reminded him of his grandparents and it just didn't feel right eating old people. So he sat in the shade, sweat lathering on his forehead, doing nothing but staring at the box of raisins and wishing he had an ice cold glass of water instead._

_One raisin fell out of the box, landing on the grass several inches away from Stevie's shade. That poor raisin. It never stood a chance against the sun rising higher and higher in the sky._

Chad stopped, unable to make it to the bottom of the page. "Really, Sonny? You have to write a report on this piece of junk?"

"It isn't a piece of junk!" Sonny protested, swiping her book and using it to slap Chad's shoulder. "It gets a lot more interesting the farther in you get. I'm to the part now when-,"

"Oh, please. I could write a better story than that off the top of my head!"

"Really, Chad?" For the first time since boarding the plane, Sonny set the book aside. "Why don't you prove it?"

"Prove what?"

"That you can write a better story off the top of your head."

"I will!" A short pause followed. "Wait…You want me to do it right now?"

"That's kind of what 'off the top of your head' means."

Fine. If Sonny wanted him to make up a story, he would make up a story. It couldn't be too hard, right? All he had to do was string a few words together, add The End after them, and he would be done. He didn't see what the big deal was about becoming an author. They had the easiest jobs in the world!

"Once upon a time, there was this guy-,"

"Let me guess," Sonny interrupted. "His name was Chad Dylan Cooper?"

"Close, but no. His name was Brad Chillin Super. Brad was awesome! He acted on this really great show in which he played the main character, had superb blonde hair, and was popular beyond belief. Some people even went far enough to proclaim Brad was the greatest actor of his generation!"

"I think I know how this story ends," Sonny cut in. "Why don't you tell me Penelope's story instead?"

"Penelope's story?" Chad repeated.

"You know the real reason she tried to kill me with a cheese ball bomb, don't you? I mean, a person doesn't just try to murder someone without a motive."

"Why would I know why Penelope wanted to murder you?"

"I don't know. I'm assuming it's because you have a past with her."

Her eyes zeroing in on Chad, Sonny waited for an answer. Her boyfriend became nervous. He avoided returning her gaze, looking anywhere around the room except at her. A sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach told Sonny she had guessed correctly.

"There's - There's no past between me and Penelope!" Chad protested.

"Chad…"

"Ok, maybe just a tiny one." Taking a deep breath, Chad stared at the floor as he spoke. "The truth is, Penelope and I used to date. It was years before you moved to Hollywood and it ended after a week or two. I think Penelope got jealous because you're the only girl I've dated for a long period of time since I dated her."

Sonny sat silently for a long time, trying to figure out exactly what to make of Chad's story. She wasn't jealous of their relationship - she herself had flirted with James and kissed Hayden before getting together with Chad. No, the part of the story that scared her was how large Penelope's vendetta had been. If she was willing to attempt murder, how many of Chad's other ex-girlfriends were prepared to do the same? Had Sonny placed herself in the line of fire by agreeing to date Chad?

Reading her quietness completely wrong, Chad added, "You know I have no feelings toward Penelope now, don't you?"

She did. There was no doubt in Sonny's mind Chad had true feelings for her. Why would he go through the motions of asking her out, taking her on dates, and trying to act nicer toward her cast mates, all the while putting himself at risk by revealing to the public he was dating a Random, if he didn't really like her?

That's why, as afraid as she felt about Chad's former girlfriends, Sonny forced those thoughts from her mind as she set aside her book, snuggling up to Chad and using his chest as her pillow. For now, Penelope was the only girl who tried to physically harm her. She had no reason to believe anyone would follow in her footsteps, and until she received another hate cake or found an unpaid for necklace inside her shopping bag, she wasn't going to let herself worry. She had Chad - the prize she had been seeking for a long, long time.

She couldn't have asked for a better story than this.

Author's Note: Sorry this is so long, guys! Some of you wanted to know the stories behind Chad's pictures. Others wanted to know what happened after the episode. So I added both! And the first scene, where Mrs. Munroe is helping Sonny get ready for her first day as Chad's girlfriend...Well, that honestly hit me while I was writing. I always wondered how their relationship was in the beginning, before they became all lovey-dovey with each other. So there you go. You have my take on what happened their first day together. Love it, hate it...It's up to you!

Thanks for all the loving reviews! Think we can get them up to 500 by the time I reach the end of season two? (wink wink)


	35. Episode 34: The Problem With Pauly

Author's Note: So, apparently it has been over 1 year since the last time I updated this story. According to FF, my last update was actually on Janurary 5...2011. 2011? But...But...It's May 15 2012 now!

Needless to say, I am very sorry about the slow update. I lost interest in this story after watching the season 2 finale (Come on...we (the fans) are never going to know if Sonny and Chad end up together or not?) and once So Random! became it's own show. I understand Demi needed time off and she isn't ready to get back into acting yet, but still...I think Disney could have added at least a little closure to Sonny With a Chance.

Anyway, I've never liked the idea of leaving this story un-finished. It's been my most popular one and I feel horrible leaving it for a year without any warning. So, if there are any readers left (which I hope there are), please accept this warm batch of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies as my apology.

What? You can't taste my cookies? Well, how about I do this instead:

PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR WAITING SO LONG TO UPDATE! I LOVE AND MISS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY LOVELY READERS!

*incase you can't tell, I was on my knees when I said that. Begging for your forgiveness.

Well, if there IS anyone still reading...

How many of your remember the episode The Probem With Pauly? *crickets chirp* That's ok; go watch it on youtube if you don't remember it. If your memory is super good though (mine wasn't. I had to go watch the episode again), then you will remember that Nico and Grady tried convincing Chad Sonny had stood him up. Since we all know I have a very twisted thinking process, I began wondering...What if Nico and Grady used the fact that Sonny was standing Chad up to try to break up Channy? What if they were upset when their plan didn't work? What if they decided to keep trying to break up the Mackenzie Falls actor and their Sonshine...No matter what it takes?

Read on, my friends, if you want to know what happens next.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Episode 34:

The Problem With Pauly

**Chad Dylan Cooper Will Never Take Advice From Randoms Again**

"So," Sonny proclaimed, sitting down in the empty commissary chair beside her boyfriend. "I was thinking…Since our Seven Week Anniversary was spent tracking down Hank and convincing him to continue on as Pauly, why don't we do something even better for our Eight Week Anniversary?"

"Even better?" Chad repeated, setting down the Chad Hero sandwich he'd been ready to bite into when Sonny joined him. "What do you have in mind?"

"That," Sonny replied, tapping Chad's nose with her finger, "Is my little secret. Meet me tomorrow night at the Prop House."

She rose to her feet and skipped from the room, leaving a very curious Chad Dylan Cooper behind.

* * *

Sonny had everything planned: Chad would arrive at the Prop House by exactly 8:15 and she would cover his eyes with a blindfold. Then, ignoring his protests about having to wear said blindfold, Sonny would lead Chad to the limo she'd ordered for the evening. The driver, who already knew exactly where to drive thanks to her detailed directions, would take them to the designated spot. The blindfold would finally be removed, allowing Chad to witness the biggest surprise of his life.

A bouquet of roses waited on the table. Her prettiest dress covered Sonny's body. The biggest smile she could muster took over the actress' face. There was only one thing missing: Chad Dylan Cooper.

"I don't get it," Sonny sighed. "I told Chad to meet me here fifteen minutes ago! Where is he?"

"Blow-off!"

Jumping in surprise, Sonny turned her attention to Nico and Grady. She had forgotten the two boys stayed late to play video games instead of going home like Tawni and Zora.

"Blow-off?" Sonny echoed. "That's - That's impossible."

"Denial!" Grady cried out in his sing-song voice.

"You might want to sit down, Sonny," Nico agreed, moving over to create a spot on the couch for his cast mate. "You've been stood-up!"

"You guys don't know what you're talking about," Sonny protested, taking a seat between the males. "Chad wouldn't blow me off. He was really looking forward to this date yesterday! Why would he change his mind when-." She paused as realization hit her. "Wait a second…What if Chad is blowing me off now because he thought I was blowing him off last week? Do you guys think he's just trying to get back at me?"

"This has all the signs of a guy who isn't interested in you," Nico replied, placing his arm over Sonny's shoulders.

"A guy who interested in me? Do you Chad has lost interest in me already?"

"It happens in stages," Nico continued, refusing to answer Sonny's frantic questions. "Stage one: You're blown off."

"Stage two: He'll stop answering your phone calls," Grady added.

Knowing Nico and Grady were wrong, that there was no way Chad was blowing her off, Sonny pulled her cell phone from her pocket. She punched in Chad's number as fast as she could before bringing the device to her ear.

One ring…

Two rings…

"It went to voicemail," she explained.

"How many rings?" Nico and Grady asked in unison, each of them moving in closer as though Sonny's answer would change their lives forever.

"Two."

"Ohh!"

Sonny looked from one cast mate to the other as both boys shook their heads in disappointment. Whatever they were about to tell her wasn't going to be good news.

"Two means he heard it-," Grady began.

"Saw who it was-," Nico continued.

"Thought about it-,"

"And turned the phone off-,"

"Because he's not interested!"

Could it be true? Was Chad really not interested in her any more? Sonny knew she wasn't the most exciting person on the face of the planet, but come on! She tried to make date nights fun, didn't she? Usually, Chad acted like he was having a good time-

Wait a second. Chad _acted_ like he was having a good time. What if he was only acting to cover-up how much he hated the dates? What if his interest was gone now that there was no hate left in their relationship, now that Chad knew more about her than before? Was he tired of having a steady girlfriend instead of being able to date someone new all the time?

"I can't believe this," Sonny muttered, her voice quiet.

"Well, if it's any consolation," Nico said, shrugging as he brought the controller in his hand toward Sonny, "You could always join Grady and I in the wonderful world of online gaming."

"You're on!" Sonny agreed. "But only until Chad gets here. I'm sure he's just running behind schedule or something."

However, as the seconds turned into minutes and the minutes changed into hours, Sonny couldn't even convince herself that what Nico and Grady said wasn't true: Chad really had lost interest in her.

* * *

She couldn't remember why she told Nico and Grady where she was taking Chad to celebrate eight weeks together. Honestly, she was surprised her cast mates never let Chad in on the secret. However, she wished she had kept her big mouth shut the moment she heard Grady singing, "No show!"

After playing video games for awhile, Sonny gave up hope that Chad was still coming. She texted him the address she'd planned on taking him to - just in case he wanted to know what their celebration was supposed to be, although she had no idea why he would care if he wasn't interested in her - and then she'd climbed in the limo and asked the driver to take her to the original date place. She wanted to be alone and think about what she could've done to lose Chad so quickly. They had only been dating for eight weeks, after all. There had to be something she'd done to turn him off.

"I'm not in the mood, guys," Sonny said as Nico and Grady approached her. "Unless you know where Chad is or why he never showed up, I'd rather be alone right now."

"We know exactly how you feel, Sonny," Nico protested. "We - well, me anyway - I get stood-up by girls all the time."

"It's not the end of the world," Grady agreed.

"Besides," Nico went on. "There are guys out there who are ten times better than Pooper, guys who would never dream of blowing you off."

"That's really sweet. Thanks for being there for me tonight," Sonny said, smiling at each boy in turn. "It means a lot to me, especially since I know neither of you have ever liked Chad very much. I know there are other guys out there, but I just thought…I don't know. I thought Chad was different. But here I am, on the night of our Eight Week Anniversary, and he's totally blown me off. I don't think he's interested in seeing me anymore." She sighed loudly. "I don't know what to do. I just really wish Chad was here right now."

Unsure what else to do, Nico and Grady left Sonny to wallow in her sorrows alone. It was their second shot in two weeks at trying to convince Sonny and Chad that they weren't right for each other. Chad was easy to deceive. He fell for the whole 'Sonny stood you up, man!' plan only too easily. In the end though, Sonny never stood him up and everything turned out to be a huge misunderstanding.

"Maybe we should stop trying to come between them," Nico said once he was sure Sonny could no longer hear him.

"What are you talking about?" Grady asked. "You were the one who came up with the idea of trying to convince Chad Sonny was no longer interested in him and then, when that plan failed, to try convincing Sonny Chad was no longer interested in her. I thought you wanted to break them up so our shows could go back to hating each other."

"It sounded like a good idea at the time, G, but now…" Nico glanced at Sonny over his shoulder. She had her elbow propped up on the fence before her and rested her cheek on her palm while staring off into space. "She deserves to be happy, too."

Nico and Grady knew what they had to do as they left their heart-stricken cast mate behind. It was time to stop acting like five year olds and accept the Channy relationship with open arms.

Well, semi-open arms anyway.

* * *

Chad knew he was late. He hoped Sonny would still be there, but he had his doubts. It was almost midnight, after all. At least the streets were clear (the back roads he needed to take in order to reach the address Sonny had sent him were clear, that is); he could drive as fast as he wanted to.

'_Please still be there,' _he pleaded silently, pushing down on the gas pedal harder than ever. _'Please, please, PLEASE still be there!'_

The limited lighting his headlights supplied nearly caused Chad to drive by the address. He turned sharply, squealing the tires and surely leaving marks on the street. He didn't car about any of that. All he cared about was finding Sonny before it was too late. If she was already back at her apartment, giving up all hope he would show up…

Well, needless to say, he wouldn't have a girlfriend for much longer.

"Sonny!" he cried out, jumping out of his car the moment he removed the keys. "Are you still here, m'lady?"

Nothing but silence answered his call.

Feeling like someone had ripped his heart from his chest, Chad refused to give up. If Sonny was still around, why would she answer him? If he was the one who'd been stood-up, he would probably ignore Sonny, at least for a few minutes. Maybe she was still here somewhere.

How was he going to find her amidst the carnival rides?

That's right; Sonny's idea for their Eight Week Anniversary must have been to spend the evening at the carnival. Chad knew the carnival was coming to Hollywood ("For one week only!" Sonny had told him, her voice loud with excitement). He had even planned on taking Sonny to it after she told him stories about how she and Lucy used to go to amusement parks all the time back when she lived in Wisconsin. He smirked as he walked toward the attractions. He and Sonny really did think alike sometimes.

The carnival had an almost eerie effect to it as Chad walked around the empty ground. A few lights were still on and every once in awhile, he ran into an employee who had gotten stuck picking up trash. Without anyone screaming on the roller coasters or waiting in line to lose at rigged games, the night felt too quiet.

Too quiet and too deserted for anyone to still be there. Who was Chad kidding, running around like a chicken with no head? Sonny was gone, just like everyone else who had visited the carnival earlier in the evening. He had no chance of finding her. She was already home and probably telling Mrs. Munroe all the horrible things Chad had done to her. He would be lucky if she even spoke to him tomorrow morning at the studio after he stood her up-

"You're a little late, aren't you, Cooper?"

Chad whirled around at the sound of her voice. He knew that voice anywhere. It belonged to Sonny! And she was actually speaking! To him! Even after he showed up for their date nearly four hours late!

Sure enough, there Sonny sat.

In a go-cart.

Which was, to Chad's surprise, actually moving toward him.

"I know what you're thinking," Sonny said, slamming on the brakes just before she would have hit the fence Chad stood behind. "How did my amazing girlfriend get permission to drive a go-cart around even though the carnival is supposed to be over?"

"Actually," Chad corrected the brunette, "I was wondering how I could get permission to drive a go-cart around with my amazing girlfriend."

"I don't know. I had to stand around looking sad before anyone felt bad enough to offer me a free ride. Maybe you should try acting sad, too."

"And what reason could I possibly have for being sad? I'm Chad Dylan Cooper, the greatest actor of our generation. I have you as my girlfriend-,"

"Do you have me for a girlfriend, Chad? Do you really?" Sonny's eyes were downcast, her voice very soft. "Because tonight, it felt like you didn't want anything to do with me."

Without another word, Chad jumped over the fence blocking him from Sonny. He knew the fence was there to keep people like him from getting too close to the go-carts when they were running, but with only one driver, Chad was pretty sure he wasn't in any danger. Unless Sonny was actually mad enough to try running him over, that is.

Thankfully, Sonny had selected a go-cart made for two passengers. She didn't complain when Chad took a seat beside her, but she didn't look at him either. Instead, she kept her hands firmly planted on the steering wheel.

"Nico and Grady had me convinced you were sick of me," the actress began her story. "They told me you stood me up tonight because you weren't interested in me anymore."

"You took relationship advice from Cloudy and Rainy?"

"Their names are Nico and Grady. And don't even try to make me feel stupid for taking their advice because one week ago, you listened to them, too."

"Yes, I did listen to them. They were wrong last week…the same way they were wrong today."

When Sonny finally looked at him, almost making him melt with those big brown eyes of hers, Chad realized that she was going to hear him out. Well, if she was willing to listen, he would do everything he could to win her over.

"I wanted to be here to celebrate our Eight Week Anniversary with you, Sonny. I wasn't blowing you off," he started. "The only reason I didn't show up at the Prop House on time was because - and trust me, you're not going to believe me even after I tell you - but I couldn't meet you because of Cloudy and - I mean, because of Nico and Grady."

"Chad, I know you're not best friends with my cast mates, but that doesn't mean you can go around blaming them for-,"

"I'm not lying, Sonny!" Chad protested. "One of them texted me - from a fake number, by the way - and pretended to be a reporter. They asked if I'd be willing to do an interview. They promised it would only last five minutes at the most. Of course I said yes. Chad Dylan Cooper never misses an opportunity to share information with his fans! Anyway, they asked me to meet them in the parking lot. I'm sure you can imagine how upset I was when I showed up and there was no one there to interview me."

"I'm not seeing how this explains why you never met me at the Prop House," Sonny interrupted. "Or answered your phone when I tried calling you."

"I didn't answer your call because I didn't have my phone," Chad replied. "See, since I thought I was going for an interview, I left everything in my dressing room. My cell phone, my keys, my mirror…Everything! I couldn't open the doors of my car because I didn't have the key. I couldn't call anyone to help me because I didn't have my phone. I couldn't get back into the studio because your _friends _made sure every door was locked."

Sonny's mouth opened and closed several times. She didn't want to believe what Chad was telling her. Sure, the Randoms and Chad's cast didn't always get along, but she thought they were getting better. There was no way Nico and Grady would actually lock Chad outside.

"Incase you're wondering, I have proof," Chad broke into Sonny's thoughts. "The two goofballs left a note on my windshield."

Pulling a wadded piece of paper from his pocket, Chad placed it in Sonny's palm. Un-crumpling the document, Sonny reached the conclusion that there was no way she could continue defending her cast members. She recognized the messy handwriting anywhere:

_Hey, Chad Dylan Pooper,_

_Guess what? There is no interview! We made it up! And guess what else? You're locked out of the studio! Haha! Good luck making your date with Sonny now! By the end of the night, you will never have a need to visit our set again and Sonny will never have to visit yours. Everything can go back to the way it used to be: the Falls and the Randoms hating each other!_

_-N and G_

"Wow, I'm impressed…There isn't even one misspelled word!"

Sonny's attempt at a joke only made Chad glare at her. She sighed before asking, "What did you do after they locked you outside?"

"I did the only thing I could do: I hitchhiked!"

"You - you did what?"

Even using her wild imagination, Sonny could not picture Chad standing on the side of the street, his thumb in the air as he begged passing cars for a ride.

"What else was I supposed to do? I couldn't text or call anyone and I don't know how to hotwire a car. I had to hitchhike to my house so I could grab one of my other phones."

Trying her best not to laugh, Sonny bumped her shoulder against Chad's. "Then what happened? All your problems should have been solved after that…right?"

"Well, they would've been…If your mom hadn't been sitting at my dining room table!"

"My mom?" Sonny felt her brow crinkling. "What was my mom doing at your house?"

"Apparently my mom invited her," Chad explained. He rolled his eyes. "Since you're the only girl I've ever dated for eight weeks straight, she's making a big deal out of our relationship. She said she wants to get to know your family before you have a chance to realize what a huge mistake you made by agreeing to be my girlfriend and decide to break up with me. Yeah, like that will ever happen."

"Wait a minute. When you say your mom is making a big deal out of our relationship, do you mean that in a good way or in a-,"

"I thought we were talking about me here." Chad pressed on without allowing Sonny to finish her question. "Anyway, our mothers forced me to join them. And yes, I do mean 'force'. Each of them grabbed an arm and pulled me to the table. They wanted to ask all these questions, like how I asked you out, where I took you for our first date, blah, blah, blah. I tried telling them I needed to go, that we had a date I was going to be late for, but then they just wanted to know where we were heading tonight. They found it absolutely precious that you were taking me on a surprise date. Apparently they thought it was a very romantic gesture."

"So you got locked out of the studio, hitchhiked home, and then was held hostage by my mom and yours," Sonny summarized. "What happened after all that?"

"As soon as our mothers finally let me escape, I grabbed my phone and got out of the house as fast as I could. I thought about calling you, I really did, but then I remembered that you didn't have a car or a driver's license. I called one of my other friends - don't look at me like that, I'm Chad Dylan Cooper, I have other friends, you know - and he agreed to drive me to Condor. I tried texting you on the way, but of course, the phone I had to use is the one that doesn't receive service all the time and it chose not to send my next no matter how many times I told it to. I made sure to grab my extra set of keys before leaving my house so my plan was to have my friend drop my off and then head straight to my dressing room, change clothes, and then meet you at the Prop House. However, my plans changes when I noticed all four tires on my car were flat."

"Is this story going to end anytime tonight?"

"Well, Miss. I'm-too-impatient-to-listen-to-the-entire-story," Chad replied, playfully ruffling Sonny's hair, "To make a long story short, I was passed out in the middle of the street when Nico and Grady finally showed up. They apologized for everything and told me that you were still waiting for me if I was interested in meeting up with you. I'll have you know that I did not yell at them even once…even though everything was their fault."

"Huh," Sonny murmured. "I wonder why they were trying so hard to keep us apart tonight? Do you think…Do you think they were trying to trick us into breaking up?"

"I'm not a guy who likes to go around accusing people," Chad stated, holding his hands in front of his chest defensively, "But I do find it a little fishy that Nico and Grady tried convincing us that we stood each other up."

"I guess you're right. It does sound a little strange, doesn't it?" Sonny shrugged like it wasn't a big deal. "Oh, well. At least they came to their senses in the end!"

Chad wanted to press the issue farther. He wanted Sonny to admit her cast mates had done something wrong and that they deserved to be punished for their actions. Disapproving of his relationship with Sonny was one thing, but deliberately trying to sabotage it was WAY out of line. Someone had to teach them a lesson.

Nico and Grady had to learn that no one messed with the love life of Chad Dylan Cooper.

How could he get back at the boys without upsetting Sonny? If he tried pranking the boys back, his girlfriend would accuse him of not trying to find peace between their two shows. If he went behind Sonny's back to perform his act of revenge, surely the two tattle-tales would go running to Sonny right away. There had to be something he could do, something that would show the boys who the boss was without making Sonny angry…

It was at that moment Chad remembered what he was sitting in.

"How heavy do you think this go-cart is?" he asked, unable to hide the smirk that overtook him.

"Why do you want to know how heavy it is?" Sonny demanded. She could read Chad's expression perfectly. "Chad, you're not thinking about-,"

She was too late; Chad was already jumping out of the go-cart and running to find an employee who could help him.

* * *

There wasn't really a reason for Nico and Grady to still be hanging out in the Prop House. It was very late and both boys should have gone home hours ago. However, after all the work they put into tricking Chad and comforting Sonny, they found an extreme lack in energy. Feeling too lazy to walk all the way to their houses, the boys decided they would nap in the Prop House - not for the entire night, only five minutes at the most - and that's exactly what they were doing when they heard it.

_Vroom._

The two boys were used to hearing engines rev to life. There was a parking lot just outside the walls of the Prop House, after all. However, this vehicle sounded too loud, too _close_, to be located outside.

After fighting over who would check first, Nico and Grady stuck their heads into the hallway at the same time. They jumped back in shock, not believing what they'd seen. There was no way Chad Dylan Cooper and Sonny Munroe were driving a go-cart through the studio's hallways…was there?

"Hey, suckers!" Chad cried as the go-cart zoomed by the doorway the two Randoms stood in. The dramatic actor slowed down, giving the other boys a chance to notice the arm he coolly had draped over Sonny's shoulders and the sunglasses covering his eyes. "Would either of you like a ride?"

Both boys clamored at once, each of them wanting to be the first to take a ride in the go-cart. They stepped back when shouted, "Well, I guess you shouldn't have interfered with my romantic life then!"

Chad was wearing a devious smile as Nico and Grady exchanged looks. Sonny quickly said, "I'm really sorry for what's about to happen, guys!" Then, before another word could be said, Chad stepped on the gas.

The go-cart leaped forward-

Nico and Grady ran into the hall-

And the next thing Chad knew, he and Sonny were driving - yes, actually _driving_ through the studio - while following after the two males. Chad had no intention of harming Sonny's cast mates. He just wanted to give them a little scare, maybe make them think that he planned on running them over. Truthfully, he was just having too much fun driving the go-cart to stop.

No one messed with Chad Dylan Cooper's love life. The next time Nico and Grady offered him relationship advice, Chad would know better than to listen to them anyway. They were Randoms, after all. He should have known better than to listen to them in the first place.

Chad Dylan Cooper always found a way to win in the end. Always.

Author's Note: Oh my goodness, I've been wanting to write something about go-carts (or some type of car) being driven around Condor Studios since...I don't know, since FOREVER! I'm so happy I finally got it out of my system!

So...I know I'm a little rusty...It's been a long time since I've written anything Channy related...but what did you guys think?

Review?

If you ARE still reading, please review. Oh, and maybe answer these questions:

1. Was this chapter stupid?

2. Have my Channy-writing skills suffered?

AND, perhaps the BIGGEST question of all:

3. How many people would like me to continue (and finish) this story?


	36. Episode 35: That's So Sonny

Author's Note: I know, I know. It has, one again, been a super long time since I've updated. I was making a list of every story I've ever written and when I came across this one and realized it was STILL incomplete, I felt horrible. I have a very, very, VERY strong desire to finish it - and this time, I do mean FINISH.

Anyway...Who remembers the SWAC episode called That's So Sonny? If you don't, you may watch it on youtube since Disney doesn't show SWAC anymore. At least, I don't think they do. At midnight they show Wizards of Waverly Place and Suite Life On Deck, but I don't think I've ever seen SWAC. Oh well. I guess that's what youtube is for.

Um...Longer note at the end. Yeah.

Please enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Episode 35:

That's So Sonny

**Nobody – Nobody! – Tells Chad Dylan Cooper Who to Date**

Chad Dylan Cooper couldn't stop staring at his Chad-o-meter. After everything he'd done – asking Amber for help, allowing Sonny to manage his fan-club, witnessing a vacuum war between his number one fan and his girlfriend…There was no reason his number of fans shouldn't have reached a million. And yet, the number flashing before his eyes did not read one million. Instead, the number was barely above the one he'd started at: 800,050.

Fifty. He'd only gained fifty new fans in the past week. Not fifty thousand. Not even fifty hundred. Just plain old fifty.

The worst thing about his dwindling fan base was that Chad had no idea what he was doing wrong. He was still the same guy he had always been, the greatest actor of his generation, wasn't he? He still had the same good-looks, the same blonde hair, the same-

Wait…What if he didn't have blonde hair? What if that old guy who visited the studio a few months ago was right and he was already starting to go bald?

Chad left his meter behind as he ran to the nearest mirror. He breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing his reflection. His hair was perfect: still just as golden and suave as ever before. Whatever was making his fans forget about him had nothing to do with his hair.

Then what was making them forget?

He thought back to what Amber had told him. She hadn't blamed the fan loss on anything Chad had done. She hadn't even blamed all the time he spent with the Randoms now that he was dating Sonny. No, Amber's reason was…was…

_"The fans do not like 'happy Chad,'; They like 'edgy Chad,'!"_

Well, Amber had been right about one thing: Chad _was_ happy. Actually, since the day he and Sonny started dating, he'd never felt happier! She was his girl, his little ball of sunshine, the only person who could make him smile no matter what was going on in his life. Sonny was just so…happy. How could Chad stop from smiling when she smirked at him, batting those beautiful brown eyes as her cheeks blushed furiously…

"Of course Sonny makes me happy," Chad said out loud. "What's so bad about being happy?"

Chad was a good – nay, a great – actor. Why couldn't he be 'happy Chad' and 'edgy Chad' at the same time? Why couldn't his fans see that just because he was in a long-term relationship for the first time in his life, he was still the same person?

A knock on the door brought Chad away from his thoughts. He needed to stop thinking about how many fans he did – or in this case, did not – have. He needed to stop thinking about his fans. He needed to stop thinking about-

"Chad? Can I come in?"

Without waiting for an answer, the door creaked open. Sonny Munroe stuck her head into the room.

Just like that, all of Chad's worries disappeared. Who cared about his Chad-o-meter? He didn't need to have a million fans to make his life complete. That was what he had Sonny for.

Yep. Sonny Munroe was the only fan Chad cared about.

…If that was true, how come he couldn't stop thinking about his meter?

* * *

Tawni Hart was sitting at her vanity, smiling into her mirror, when something huge, black, and bulky was thrust into her hands.

"Um, Sonny?" the tween queen said sweetly. "I think you accidentally put this…thing…in my lap."

"It wasn't an accident and that isn't a 'thing'," Sonny responded. "It's a video camera. We're going to use it to make a movie."

"A movie?" Tawni felt her lips curving into a smile. "Ohh, do I get to star in it?"

"Neither of us are starring in it," Sonny explained. "See, Chad still feels really bad about never reaching his million fans – I know he says he doesn't care, but I know how to read people and let me tell you: he DOES care! Anyway, I thought it would be really cool to interview random people and ask them what they do or don't like about Chad and – Tawn, are you even listening to me?"

After setting the camera down, Tawni turned her attention back to her reflection. She was more interested in brushing her hair than listening to her cast mate.

"You lost me when you said I wasn't starring in the movie." She shrugged innocently. "I could really care less if your boyfriend gets a million fans. I'm the pretty one; I should be the one trying to get more fans!"

"But I really need your help! I can't interview people and hold the camera at the same time. Please help me out, Tawni! I'll never ask you for anything again!"

"Not interested."

Pouting, Sonny danced in place, trying to think of anything she could offer that would make Tawni change her mind. There had to be something she could say, something she could do, that would force her friend into compliance.

"I have an idea!" Tawni cried, jumping to her feet. She grabbed the camera and tossed it to Sonny. "How about we make a movie about _me_?"

"How about," Sonny countered, "I let you make a guest-appearance in Chad's movie?"

When Tawni started shaking her head, Sonny realized she was going to have to make a bigger offer.

"You can co-star in Chad's movie…And I'll help you make one all about you as soon as we're finished!"

This time, although still looking rather reluctant, Tawni agreed.

"Fine," she gave in. "But my movie has to be better than Chad's!"

Sonny slipped an arm around her cast mate's shoulders and together, one actress smiling brightly while the other muttered under her breath, the girls left their shared dressing room behind. It was time to put Sonny's plan into action!

* * *

(Quick Author's Note: Anything written like this is in real time. _Anything like this is part of the movie._)

Chad was just settling down to eat when he felt someone tugging on his arm. Before he'd even managed to sit, he was on his feet again, walking out of the commissary.

"Hey, sonshine," he greeted, easily recognizing the girl leading him down the hall. "Um, you do know that most people spend their lunch hour eating lunch, right?"

"You can eat later," Sonny called over her shoulder, refusing to change her pace. "Right now, I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?"

Chad had known Sonny long enough to know that her surprises were one of two things: either they were extremely good or they were horrendously bad. As nice as she tried to be, sometimes – a lot of the time, actually – her 'surprises' ended up turning out quite differently after they left her mind and entered the real world.

Nico, Grady, Zora, and Tawni were already there when Sonny dragged Chad into the Prop House. The four comedians looked bored out of their minds. Chad had no idea if that was a good or bad sign.

"Sit," Sonny ordered, finally dropping her boyfriend's arm once they reached the couch.

Chad would've sat – except Tawni and her male co-stars were already seated on the piece of furniture. There was barely enough room for another body.

"I think I'll stand-,"

His rebuttal was lost when Sonny, grabbing both his shoulders, easily pushed him backwards. He landed on the couch with a soft _thud_.

"Gather 'round, Zora!" Sonny cried gleefully, waving the younger girl forward. "I want you to see this, too!"

"What, exactly, are we supposed to be seeing?" Chad asked, leaning as far away from Grady as the couch's arm allowed. He sat up straight when Zora came to stand behind her cast mates. He didn't trust her when he could watch her with both his eyes. Having her behind him…that just sounded like an accident waiting to happen.

"Sonny didn't tell you?" Nico asked, giving his rival a blank stare. "She made some kind of stupid video for you, man."

"It is not," Tawni protested from her spot beside Nico, "A stupid video."

"I'll be the judge of that!" Grady declared. He smiled at Chad childishly. "I'm good at judging whether or not a movie is stupid. Usually as long as there's some kind of super-hero, I give it two thumbs up!"

"A movie doesn't need a super-hero to be considered good," Tawni explained, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "All it needs is a beautiful actress."

Chad stopped listening to the Randoms as soon as Nico told him what was going on. Since then, he hadn't taken his gaze off of Sonny, who was getting the television on the correct setting. Once she finished, she headed to the back of the room, where she turned off the lights. Then, smiling like the crazy comedian she was, she plopped down on Chad's armrest.

"You made a video…for me?" The dramatic actor blinked. "Why?"

"Well, I know you're disappointed about never reaching one million fans – and don't even try telling me I'm the only fan you care about because we both know that isn't true," Sonny replied, stopping Chad before he could do more than open his mouth. "I wanted to show you that it doesn't matter how many fans you have. What matters is how much the fans you do have care about you."

Now Chad was more confused than ever. How did Sonny know he was still upset every time he glanced at his Chad-o-meter? Why did she feel she needed to make him feel better? He was Chad Dylan Cooper. He didn't need anyone looking out for him or trying to raise his spirits when he was feeling down. He could take care of himself!

Besides…How was Sonny going to prove her point just by showing him a video?

Giving Chad's shoulder a reassuring pat, Sonny held up the remote her boyfriend hadn't even noticed she was carrying. After pressing a button, the movie started playing.

_ The first thing anyone could see was a face – actually, not even an entire face. Namely, just two bright brown eyes._

_ "Tawni," the owner of the eyes spoke up. "You're standing too close."_

_ "That's because when I back up, you look like a midget! See, I can stand all the way back here-,"_

_ The shot started shaking as whoever was holding the camera – Tawni, from the sounds of it – moved away from Sonny. Now the viewer could see her whole body, although, just as Tawni warned, she looked tiny._

_ "You need to be closer than that!" Sonny ordered, "But not so close that people can see up my nose. Just…try to get my entire head, okay?"_

_ The shaking started again as the camerawoman came closer. This time, Sonny held up her hands, stopping her friend before she could come too close. Now the whole upper-half of her body was viewable._

_ "Perfect!" Sonny stated happily. "Are you ready to start filming?"_

_ "We haven't started yet?" Tawni asked. "I thought you asked me to turn the camera on five minutes ago…"_

_ "Why would I ask you do that? We don't even have anyone to interview yet!"_

_ Sonny left the shot as the camera spun around. When it finally stopped, it was focused on a group of girls standing on the other side of the street._

_ "We can interview them!" Tawni suggested. "Chad has a lot of girl fans, right? I bet they would love to help us!"_

_ "Tawni, wait for-,"_

_ Her command came too late. The scene bounced up and down as Tawni sprinted across the street. She and Sonny were right outside Condor. The poor, unsuspecting girls never stood a chance of remaining unspotted._

_ The four strangers eyed the camera suspiciously. One of them started fixing her hair._

_ "Hi! My name, as you surely know, is Tawni Hart. I was wondering if you'd be willing to answer a few questions about Chad – Oh my gosh! That outfit is so cute! Where did you get it?"_

_ Finally, a breathless Sonny joined her cast mate. She held a microphone in one hand and wore a glare on her face._

_ "Thanks for waiting for me, Tawn," she said sarcastically. _

_ "Sorry," the other girl apologized. "It's not my fault you're slow – Really, Sonny?" The view changed from her face to her feet. "You're really wearing those shoes with that shirt? Have I taught you nothing?"_

_ "If you're going to be in charge of the camera, you need to film me, not my clothes!" Sonny ordered. "You know what? Maybe this isn't going to work out…"_

In real-time, Chad glanced at his girlfriend. She shook her head helplessly and nodded toward the screen, encouraging him to continue watching. On the other end of the couch, Tawni smiled proudly. Apparently, she believed her camera-work was amazing.

_This time, Tawni was the one seen while Sonny stood behind the camera. The blonde grinned and flipped her long blonde curls. _

_ "I think you're forgetting something, Tawn," Sonny said._

_ "What's that?"_

_ "You're supposed to be interviewing people!"_

_ She whipped her head around, searching for someone to talk to. It wasn't long before she spotted a boy walking down the sidewalk, a boy who just so happened to be shirtless._

_ "Let's interview him!" she said eagerly, running out of the shot before anyone could stop her._

_ There was a skip in the tape – probably something edited out – and then Tawni stood beside the shirtless boy. _

_ "Now, Eric," she said into her microphone. "Are you a fan of Chad Dylan Cooper?"_

_ "You mean 'Mackenzie' from Mackenzie Falls?" Eric shrugged. "Yeah, sure. He's a pretty good actor."_

_ "I see. And what is it that you like so much about Chad?"_

_ "Well…From what I can tell, he's a nice enough guy. He seems to care about his fans and his acting career. That's something you don't see from a lot of today's stars. And, as an added bonus-," He winked at the camera. "He's dating one of the cutest girls in Hollywood!" _

"I still can't believe he said that," Tawni complained. "I was standing right there and all he cared about was Sonny! I mean, come on! I'm ten times prettier than she is!"

Chad reached for Sonny's hand quickly.

"Don't listen to her," he whispered only loud enough for her to hear. "I think you're beautiful."

"Chad, that's so-,"

"And if that guy ever winks at you again," Chad cut off whatever Sonny had been about to say, "I'll kill him!"

_ This time, Tawni stood with a couple. A boy and a girl, probably somewhere in their late teens, stood side-by-side, holding hands._

_ "Oh, we love Chad Dylan Cooper!" the boy said. "We watch Mackenzie Falls every Wednesday night, don't we, sweetheart?"_

_ "We sure do!" the girl agreed. "We can't get enough of Chad's acting! But I guess to be perfectly honest, we're bigger fans of Chad and Sonny than just Chad alone."_

_ "That's right! We base our entire relationship off the two of them!"_

_ Tawni stuck out her tongue in disgust._

_ "Sonny and Chad are not cute together," she informed the couple, who exchanged confused glances. "Why would you want to base your relationship off theirs? You know they fight, like, all the time, right?"_

_ "Tawni," Sonny's voice interrupted. "Chad and I aren't that bad-,"_

_ "You're Sonny Munroe, aren't you?" the girl realized, covering her mouth in excitement. "I've always wanted to meet you! Can I have your autograph?"_

_ While Sonny agreed to sign an autograph or two, Tawni stalked off camera sullenly. Obviously, she was sick of Sonny getting all the attention._

_ The next person to be interviewed – a young girl around Zora's age – was definitely the most interesting. She nearly hyperventilated the second Tawni mentioned Chad's name._

_ "Chad Dylan Cooper is the greatest person who has ever lived!" she stated firmly. "I'm his biggest fan. I've seen every episode of Mackenzie Falls twenty times and I own every season on DVD. I also have the extended edition of the movie he directed about himself! I know everything about him!" She stepped closer to the camera, lining her eyes up with the lens. "That's right: I know EVERYTHING about him!"_

The Prop House fell silent. Five heads turned toward Sonny.

"Yeah…I don't know what was wrong with her," the bubbly actress answered their silent question. "I do know that if you ever meet up her again…you should run. Quickly."

_ Sonny was back on the screen. This time, it looked like she was in her dressing room._

_ "Well, due to unknown circumstances – namely, she got bored – Tawni has decided to let me finish the video on my own," she explained. "I've decided to come back into the studio because…Well, to be quite frank about it, that last girl we spoke to kind of scared me. But don't worry, Chad; you have plenty of fans right here at Condor, too!"_

_ Skylar was the next person seen. Sonny wasn't in the shot with him; he was alone._

_ "What do I like about Chad Dylan Cooper?" he said. "He's an awful leader for one thing!"_

_ "Um, I think you mean he's an awesome leader," Sonny's voice corrected._

_ "Isn't that what I said?" The actor raised one eyebrow in confusion. "Sonny, there's a red light on that camera! Someone put a bomb in it!"_

_ "A – A bomb? No, that light just means its recording-,"_

_ "You have to pick up the camera now before it implodes!" _

_ "What? That doesn't even make any sense-,"_

_ The rest of her sentence was lost as Skylar sprang from his chair and rushed toward the camera. _

_ Marta was next. She had a dreamy expression as she giggled joyfully._

_ "Chad is the greatest," she began. "See, he's really rich because his father owns this waterfall and-,"_

_ "Marta," Sonny cut her off. "You do know we're talking about Chad, not Mackenzie, don't you?"_

_ The actress cocked her head to the left._

_ "They're not the same person?"_

_ Nico and Grady gave their interview together. The two boys were too busy messing around to notice that Sonny was trying to ask them something._

_ "Guys!" she finally shouted, gaining their attention. "Now that you've had time to get to know Chad a little better, what do you like about him?"_

_ "I don't know." Nico rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess…I guess he's not such a bad guy after all."_

_ "I like sneaking into his gym!" Grady added._

_ "Note to self," Sonny voiced. "Edit that part out later."_

_ Zora was the next victim. She scoffed after hearing Sonny's question._

_ "I don't like anything about Chad!" she declared. "He's still annoying and dramatic and stupid, just like he's always been."_

_ "There has to be something you like about him," Sonny urged. _

_ "Well…I guess I do like the fact that he leaves me alone. I like to be left alone. I don't like it when people get in my business. That's why I spend so much time in the vents!"_

_ Finally, the last Random took her turn: Miss Tawni Hart._

_ "Sure, I like something about Chad!" she stated happily. "I like it when you spend lots of time with him because it means I don't have to see you as much! Everybody wins! Except you…who has to spend time with that jerkthrob…although I guess he has been nicer since he started dating you, so maybe it's not so bad. And it is kind of nice to not worry about him pulling pranks on us anymore since he wouldn't dare do something like that to his girlfriend. Yeah…Yeah, that part is really nice! I don't have to worry about him messing up my prettiness!"_

"That doesn't mean we like you or anything, Cooper," Nico reminded his enemy. "We said nice things because Sonny asked us to. We were helping for her sake, not for yours!"

"Like I really care what you Randoms think about me," Chad scoffed.

"Hey!" Sonny interjected. "I'm a Random. Don't you care what I think about you?"

"Sure, sure," Chad agreed. "But I already know what you think, sonshine."

Sonny narrowed her eyes. "Do you, Chad? Do you really?"

"Sonny, you're my girlfriend now. Of course I know what you think of me! You think I'm hot, and the greatest actor of our generation, and-,"

"Stop!" Tawni gripped, covering her ears. "I've listened to you two flirt enough for one day. Who wants to go get some fro-yo?"

Nico, Grady, and Zora volunteered to accompany her. The four friends took off, leaving Sonny and Chad alone to finish watching the movie.

"You really didn't have to make this movie, you know," Chad said as Sonny slid off the armrest and into his lap. "I'm fine with not having a million fans."

"No, you're not," Sonny disagreed. "But you will be after you watch the end of the video."

"There's more?" Chad asked in disbelief, holding his girlfriend to his chest, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Not much more," Sonny explained. "Just a final scene."

_Sonny was back in her dressing room. This time, she was wearing a serious expression. It looked almost…surreal…It was so unusual to see her without a smile._

_ "I know you want a million fans, Chad, and someday, you'll have more than that," she said. "For now, I don't want you to think about how many fans you have. Instead, I want you to think about the influence you've had in all of their lives. There are people out there just like the ones I interviewed today – thousands of them – and you've touched all of them. Your cast mates would follow you to the ends of the world. My cast is starting to soften up to you. Random people you've never even met – like Eric and that crazy girl who knows everything about you – they love you, Chad! If you could just open up your eyes and see how much you mean to so many different people. Why does it matter if there are not quite a million of them? The important thing is that people care about you, Chad. Does it really matter how many of them care?"_

_ The actress looked away for a moment like she was trying to think of something else to say. She drew a deep breath._

_ "I guess there's only one thing left to say, Chad Dylan Cooper." Her eyes locked with the camera. "I'll be right here at your side every step of the way until you reach your million. And when you do finally achieve your goal, I'll be there to celebrate with you. I…care about you a lot. Probably more than you'll ever know. I'm always going to be here to cheer you up."_

Chad couldn't help himself: he kissed Sonny's neck.

Maybe there were more important things in life than having one million fans after all.

Author's Note: I know I've led you guys on making you think I'm going to keep working and then I don't, but the truth is, most of my problem is that I don't have ideas for the episodes. This one was probably stupid - all Sonny did was make a video - but the idea sounded cute in my head.

Well...IF you're still reading, please leave me a review! You can answer these questions:

1. What did you think of Sonny's movie?

2. Do you think Chad will EVER reach 1 million fans?

3. Do you have ANY IDEAS for the next episode, Chad Without A Chance?

Seriously. If you review, leave a suggestion. Please!

The sooner I get an idea, the sooner I update!


	37. Episode 36: Chad Without a Chance

WHAT? She's updating less than a week after posting episode 35?! This author must be sick. Usually she waits a year before posting something new!

Yes, it is really me, and yes, I am really posting a new chapter. And no, for any of you who are curious: I am NOT sick.

Thank you so much to those of you who reviewed! I don't deserve to have anyone read this story after the super-long wait I put you guys through. It means so, so, so, SO much to me that there are people out there who are still reading, much less reviewing. Thank you for the support!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not even a cow. Although I will own a cow someday!

Episode 36:

Chad Without a Chance

**Chad Dylan Cooper Never Helps Those Who Are Sick**

Connie Munroe could tell there was something wrong with her daughter. For one thing, even though Sonny was seated at the table, she wasn't eating breakfast. Instead, she slumped in her chair looking like she could pass out at any given moment. Her eyes were blood-shot. Her hair was frazzled. A large pile of used tissues sat beside her elbow.

"You're sick," the mother stated.

"No, I'm not," Sonny argued. Even her voice sounded congested. "Well, maybe I am, but I can't be. I have to go to the studio no matter how gross I feel."

Connie placed her hand on Sonny's forehead, checking for a temperature. Whoa – she was burning up!

"Go back to bed, sweetie," Connie ordered, trying to help Sonny to her feet. "I'll bring you a nice warm bowl of chicken noodle soup!"

"I can't go back to bed! Mom, I don't think you understand the seriousness of the situation. My cast mates and Chad are still mad at me for pretending to be sick. If I miss another day of work, they'll think I'm lying again!"

"Well, I guess you shouldn't have lied to them to begin with," Connie chastised. "I'm sorry, Sonny, but I can't allow you to go to work when you're running a fever. It wouldn't be healthy for you or for any of your friends."

"But Mom! Chad's going to be here any minute to pick me up-,"

"Then I guess you should call him and let him know you won't need a ride."

Fighting was futile, especially when a loud sneeze cut off whatever rebuttal Sonny was about to give. With a sigh, the actress took her mother's advice and crawled back into bed. There was just one thing left to do before she could fall asleep.

Chad Dylan Cooper was climbing into his car when he heard his phone going off. He answered it without checking to see who it was. If someone was calling this early in the morning, it was probably regarding something of high importance.

"CDC here."

"Can't you ever answer your phone like a normal person?"

"Sonny!" Chad cried cheerfully. "Am I late? I thought my watch said it was a little after nine, but maybe I read it wrong. It doesn't matter; I'll be to your place in ten minutes, fifteen tops!"

"Actually, I don't need you to pick me up today, Chad."

Chad paused. Sonny didn't want him to give her a ride to work? But…But he'd picked her up almost every morning since they started dating!

"I'm sick," Sonny continued when the other end of the line remained silent. "I tried telling my mom I felt well enough to work, but she won't let me leave the apartment until my fever goes down. It looks like I'm going to be stuck at home for a while."

"You're really sick?" a skeptical Chad asked. "This isn't another scheme to get me to spend time with the Randoms, is it? I really don't think forcing us together is the best way to go about making friends-,"

He was cut off by an extremely loud – not to mention annoying – coughing fit.

"No tricks this time," Sonny assured once she was able to breathe again. "I'm really sick. Maybe it's karma for lying about being sick before."

Chad almost wished his girlfriend was lying. He would rather be deceived again and live with a tiny flicker of hope that Sonny would show up at some point than imagine yet another day at the studio without her. It was harder to get through his daily challenges without having her smile to fall back on.

"Do you need me to baby-sit your friends again?" he offered. "Maybe I could take the day off and nurse you back to health?"

"Don't worry about me. My mom is here if I need anything. I'll probably spend most of the day sleeping anyway. As for the Randoms…" Sonny thought about it for a moment. "Could you let them know why I'm not there?"

"That's all you want me to tell them? There's not another list of things they need me to do?"

Sure, Sonny could have given Chad a list. She had promised to help Tawni give her dog a bath, Nico and Grady asked for help with their homework, and Zora wanted her support when she spoke to Marshall about enlarging the vent system (apparently, she was beginning to feel cramped). Considering how things had gone last time though, Sonny didn't feel right asking her boyfriend to fill her shoes again.

"I'm pretty sure the four of them can survive without a leader," she said. "Listen…I think I'm going to let you go. You have a job to get to and I have the beginnings of a horrible headache, so…"

"Are you sure you don't need anything? I could stop by on my way to the studio."

"Thanks, but no thanks. The only thing I need right now is sleep and, no offense to you or anything, but I don't think having you around is the best way to ensure that that happens."

Chad smiled. Of course Sonny wouldn't sleep if he was there. How could she when he was in her presence? He was Chad Dylan Cooper, after all.

"I'll miss you," he reminded his favorite girl.

"I'll miss you, too," she responded.

* * *

By the time evening rolled around, Sonny finally started to feel a little better. She was able to leave her bed – which had been her sanctuary all day long – and join Connie in the living room. The two girls decided to have a chick-flick marathon.

Sonny, staying wrapped up in a blanket since she was still a little chilly from her fever, found her eyes straying to her cell phone every five minutes. She was surprised. Usually she and Chad spent hours texting back and forth or talking to each other online when they weren't able to get together for a date. For some reason, her boyfriend was being silent.

_'Maybe he's afraid to contact you,' _she considered. _'He might think you're asleep. You could always text him first.'_

As the second movie in their marathon began and Chad still hadn't said a word, Sonny took the initiative.

_Did you lose your phone or something, Cooper? _

His response didn't appear two seconds later which, although she would never admit it, Sonny had kind of hoped it would. That would've meant she was right, that the only reason he wasn't talking to her was out of consideration. However, if there was a long pause, there had to be something else distracting him.

The wait felt endless. Sonny tried busying herself by paying attention to the movie, but the longer her phone went without mooing, the more anxious she became. Her fingers drummed against her knee. The blanket drew tighter around her shoulders. She jumped up and down lightly, willing Chad to answer her.

"Sonny?" Connie asked wearily, watching her daughter closely. "Are you sure you're feeling better? You're acting a little…strange."

"I'm fine, mom." Sonny's lips said one thing, but silently she added, _'Chad won't be fine though if he's off with some other girl!'_

Five minutes slowly dragged by.

Another ten followed just as sluggishly.

Was Chad EVER going to text?

Just as the movie was reaching its climax – meaning, of course, that the main couple was having a huge fight. It was just a chick flick, after all – a loud knock sounded on the door.

"I'll get it," Connie offered before Sonny could move. "I don't think you're contagious, but I'd rather be safe than sorry."

Pausing the movie, Connie climbed to her feet. She breezed past Sonny, ruffling her hair in the process, and ran for the door without giving her daughter a chance to retaliate. She paused after getting a glimpse of her guest.

"Oh…My…Chad."

That was all it took to get Sonny up. Her mom never used that expression unless something big was going on. She wasn't going to miss out on seeing whatever it was just because of a few sick germs.

Connie stepped aside when she heard Sonny approaching her, leaving enough room for both of them to stand in the doorway. Sonny's jaw fell in shock as soon as she was able to see who was waiting in the hall.

Chad Dylan Cooper was kneeling, smiling up at his girlfriend and her mother. Beside him stood a four legged animal with black and white fur. If Sonny didn't know any better, she would think that Chad had actually brought a cow to her apartment.

"Surprise!" Chad shouted when both Munroe's stood there, motionless.

Well, he was certainly right about one thing: the cow was a surprise.

* * *

"We could let her come inside for a few minutes-,"

"No."

"If we leave her in the hall, someone might see her and report us-,"

"No."

"Mom, come on, it's just a-,"

"I am not going to have a cow in my house, Allison Munroe! Now drop it!"

Connie, Sonny, and Chad were standing in the apartment, having what they liked to refer to as a very loud discussion. The cow was still in the hallway, heading-butting against the door, trying to force her way in.

"Mrs. Munroe," Chad jumped in, knowing that the 'discussion' wouldn't go anywhere without his help. "I'm sorry I brought a cow over without asking your permission-,"

"As you should be," Connie nodded curtly.

"But the thing is, I only brought her here because of your daughter." At this point, Chad pulled Sonny to him, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Sonny means everything to me, Conn – Mrs. Munroe. When I first heard about her being sick, I was heartbroken. I knew there had to be something I could do that would help brighten her day."

"And you thought that 'something' would be bringing her a cow?"

"Yes, ma'am," Chad confirmed. "I know that my little sonshine misses her humble Wisconsin upbringing. I hoped that if I brought Wisconsin to her for one night, maybe she would find the strength she needed to overcome this sickness."

Connie looked from one teenager to the other. Sonny knew exactly what that meant: she was wavering!

"Well, I guess you were trying to do something nice…" She sighed. "Since Sonny's still sick and our apartment doesn't allow pets, you have twenty minutes before I want the cow out of here."

Chad ran to the door, letting the cow in before Connie could change her mind. Sonny immediately plopped down on the floor so she could pet the animal easier. Chad sat beside her and joined his girlfriend in cooing over the cow.

"Twenty minutes," Connie warned again. "Your time begins…Now."

With that, she disappeared, giving the dating couple their privacy.

"Okay, spill it, Cooper," Sonny ordered, giggling as the cow buried her head in her chest, nearly knocking the human over. "How did you find a cow in Hollywood?"

"I've told you, Sonny: you can rent anything in this town," Chad replied.

"But a cow? How did you even get her up here? I don't live on the first floor of the complex, you know."

"Isn't it obvious?" When Sonny's answer was a blank stare, Chad clarified. "We rode the elevator."

"She looks so tiny!" Sonny exclaimed, scratching the cow's ear.

"That's because she's only a calf," Chad explained, smiling proudly. "A 'calf' is what they call a baby cow. I think the guy I rented her from said she's only a few days old."

"That would explain why she's so hungry."

Chad's brow furrowed in confusion. "How can you tell she's hungry?"

"Look at the way she's sucking on my fingers," Sonny said. "She's trying to find milk."

The cow really was sucking on Sonny's fingers, sticking three or four of them into her mouth at once. Chad did his best to focus – he was supposed to be concentrating on the animal, not letting his mind wander – but it was hard to think about starving cows when his girlfriend was right there.

Sonny Munroe had never looked more appealing to Chad than she did in that moment. It didn't matter that her nose was red, her eyes were watering, or that her hair was frazzled. He couldn't stop staring at her fingers, the fingers that he hadn't gotten to feel all day long. He never felt them twine with his. He never felt them run through his hair. He never felt them grab the collar of his shirt while Sonny pulled their bodies together…

And now, instead of using those fingers to connect with him, Sonny was worried about a calf she believed to be hungry.

Chad Dylan Cooper was actually jealous of a cow.

"I know!" Sonny snapped her fingers as she came up with a new idea. "Chad…Let's feed her!"

"Feed her?" the blonde actor echoed.

"Yeah! It'll be fun!"

"How, exactly, are we going to feed her? Do you have a stash of hay hidden in your room?"

Ignoring his snide remark, the peppy brunette bounced to her feet and skipped into the kitchen. The cow tried following her, but Chad grabbed her collar quickly. He was lucky Mrs. Munroe hadn't kicked him out when she saw him standing on the other side of her door. The least he could do was make sure the barn animal stayed in one room instead of wandering freely around the apartment.

By the time Sonny returned, Chad was losing his battle. The cow was dragging him across the floor as she tried to reach Sonny. The actress paused, watching as the tiny calf dragged her boyfriend around. She smiled; even after all those hours in the gym, Chad still wasn't strong enough to tame a wild beast.

"Yeah, I'd try to escape if Chad was holding me hostage, too," Sonny spoke up, alerting her boyfriend that she was back. He let go of the calf and stood up straight, brushing off his jacket innocently. "Come here, baby."

"Coming, babe," Chad replied, coming forward obediently.

"I wasn't talking to you," Sonny protested as she sat on the couch. "I was talking to her!"

The calf ran into the living room, her tail wagging in excitement. She didn't have to wait long for the attention she was craving; Sonny started fawning over her right away.

"Who's the cutest cow I've ever seen?" she cooed in a baby voice. "You're right: it's you!"

Chad was beginning to regret his decision to bring the cow over in the first place. He'd only done it because he knew how much Sonny loved cows and farms and Wisconsin and he wanted to do something nice for her since she spent all day coughing up her lungs. Now though, he only had twenty minutes with her – less than twenty minutes at this point – and she cared more about the stupid animal than him.

_'If she pays more attention to the stupid cow than you,' _a tiny voice in the back of Chad's mind said, _'then make her remember how much better you are than the cow!'_

Yes – that was exactly what he would do. Chad just needed to remind Sonny how awesome he was. That would solve the problem!

"So," he stated, joining his girlfriend on the couch. "I missed you at work today."

"Check this out," Sonny cried, holding up a bottle. "This belonged to me when I was a baby. It's cute, isn't it?"

"Um…sure?"

The bottle wasn't cute. Honestly, at least in Chad's mind, it was kind of ugly. Cartoon cows were painted on it and the inside looked dirty, almost like someone had forgotten to remove the milk after Sonny's last feeding.

Wait…If the milk had been sitting in the bottle for years, how come it wasn't hard and disgusting? Why was it moving?

"When I was younger, I loved playing with the calves on my farm. Actually, I loved playing with all the animals, but the calves were my favorite. Well, them and the family dog, but that's another story!" Sonny couldn't stop smiling as she reminisced. "My mom and dad taught me how to feed the calves. They'd get the milk ready – there's a special formula that needs to be mixed together – and they would pour it into the bottle because they knew I would spill if they let me try. Anyway, once everything was ready, they'd hand me the bottle and let me give it to the calves. There's nothing more fun than bottle-feeding cows, Chad!"

Sonny glanced down at the bottle in her hand, met eyes with the calf watching her expectantly, and then shook her head.

"You know what? I've done this a million times before." She extended the bottle to Chad. "Why don't you take a turn?"

The Mackenzie Falls actor froze. "Me?"

"Why not? It'll be a good experience for you!"

Now Chad really regretted his decision to rent a cow. How was he supposed to admit he had no idea how to feed a calf without looking like a total idiot?

"Well?" Sonny waited impatiently for Chad to take the item she was offering him. "Go ahead!"

"Okay," Chad agreed, finally taking the bottle. "I'll just – I'll just go ahead and feed her now."

With Sonny watching him, wearing one of the biggest smiles on the face of the planet, Chad felt his hands begin to sweat. He wiped them off on his pants one by one – smirked at his girlfriend to let her know he loved every minute of this – and then, he stared down at the calf.

To his surprise, the calf was watching him, too. Her big brown eyes – _'Brown!' _his brain shouted. _'She has brown eyes just like Sonny!' _– refused to blink as she held her head high. She stuck out her tongue and licked her nose as if to say, 'I know you have food. Give it to me before I attack you!'

Slowly, putting his acting skills to the ultimate test as he kept a smile plastered to his face, Chad lowered the bottle. The calf grabbed the end-

-And before he knew what was happening, Chad was jumping backward in shock. The calf, the bottle clutched tightly between her teeth, was feeding herself.

"She – she pulled it right out of my hands!" Chad accused, pointing a blaming finger at the cow. "Bottle stealer!"

"I guess I should've warned you that claves are stronger than they look," Sonny apologized, wresting the bottle away from the farm animal. "See, the key is holding the bottle at an angle so you have a stronger grip on it. That way, she won't be able to take it so easily."

Sonny scooted closer to Chad. "If you wanted to try again, maybe I could help you…?"

This time, Chad didn't have to fake a smile. "I don't NEED your help. However, if you think it's a good idea…"

The second time around went much smoother. With Sonny's help, Chad was able to feed the calf without any hitches. His girlfriend stayed at his side through the entire feeding, practically sitting right on top of him. Her hands covered his as they worked together to keep the bottle slanted enough for the calf to drink her fill.

Chad could feel the electricity surging through his body at Sonny's touch. For some reason, it felt stronger today than ever before. Maybe it was because his feelings for the comedian were getting deeper as time went by. What had started out as a rivalry had turned into a secret friendship, from secret friendship into hidden feelings, hidden feelings into boyfriend and girlfriend…

There was just something about Sonny that Chad didn't understand. She was his Sonny…and hopefully, he would never have to let her go.

"It's been fifteen minutes!" Connie's voice warned. "Chad and the cow should be saying their goodbyes!"

"I'm almost out of high school and she still doesn't trust me to be alone with a boy," Sonny muttered under her breath. "She does know that everyone calls me the 'good girl', right?"

"They might call you the 'good girl', but you're dating 'Hollywood's bad boy," Chad reminded. "I'm probably the one your mom doesn't trust."

"Well, she should learn to trust you. I mean, she doesn't have a good reason not to."

"Really, Sonny? Does she really not have a good reason?"

When Sonny raised a questioning eyebrow, Chad brought his face even closer to hers. His plan worked: she shivered in either fear or excitement and closed her eyes, all the while biting down on her bottom lip.

_'Oh my Chad!'_

He wanted to kiss her, he really did. How was he supposed to resist when she was teasing him so? He was trying so hard to be good, but she made it so much more difficult than it needed to be!

Wait…Sonny was his girlfriend now. He had every right in the world to kiss her. What was holding him back? What was keeping him from closing that tiny distance between her lips and his? All he needed to do was lean forward the tiniest bit-

"Two minutes!" Connie cried out. "I haven't heard any goodbyes yet!"

It was too late to do any kissing now. The moment was ruined.

Sonny followed Chad as he headed to the door, the calf prancing along at her side. The last thing she wanted to do was say goodnight. Twenty minutes with Chad Dylan Cooper was nowhere near enough.

"How did things go at the studio today?" she asked, realizing she'd forgotten to get any details. "Did you have fun?"

"I'm not sure 'fun' is the right word. Since you weren't there, your cast mates decided it was the perfect time to pull pranks on my cast."

Sonny shook her head. "They didn't do anything too awful, did they?"

"Well, they did…" Chad paused. Why should he waste his final two minutes complaining about the Randoms? He would have plenty of time to do that once Sonny returned to work. "I can't lie to you, Sonny: their pranks weren't as hard to deal with as going an entire day without seeing you was."

That line was worth it just to see the goofy grin that the actress sent his way.

"You really do miss me when I'm gone, don't you?"

"Are you kidding? At least when you're there, the other Randoms don't terrorize my cast!"

Sonny couldn't argue with that. If it weren't for her, Tawni, Nico, Grady, and Zora would reap havoc on the Mackenzie Falls crew whenever possible. It looked like no matter what she and Chad tried, the two casts were never going to get along.

"One minute!" Connie called again. "If the boy and the cow aren't gone by the time I come out there, Sonny will be grounded for two weeks!"

Her eyes flying open in fear, Sonny threw open the door, pushing both Chad and the calf into the hallway.

"Thanks for the cow and caring enough to drop by," she said quickly. "I'll see you at work tomorrow. Bye!"

"Wait!" Chad shoved his foot in the door before Sonny could shut him out. "Why didn't you text me all night? I almost didn't come over. I thought maybe your cold or whatever it is ended up knocking you out."

"I did text you; you never answered."

Chad paused. "No, no. You never texted me tonight."

"Yes I did, Chad! Now leave before I get in trouble!"

"Thirty seconds!" Connie began her countdown. "Twenty-nine seconds! Twenty-eight seconds! Twenty-seven…"

While Sonny held the door tightly, praying her boyfriend would move his foot, Chad checked the pocket where he always kept his cell phone. It was empty!

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving," Chad insisted. "I just need you to call my phone first. Maybe I put it in a different pocket or something."

Her fingers fumbling as she hurried, Sonny whipped out her own phone. She dialed Chad's number-

-His ringtone started playing-

-And the cow burped loudly.

"No!" Chad cried, getting down on his knees and pressing her ear to the cow's stomach. "The stupid cow ate my phone!"

"Five seconds!" Connie's voice continued. "Four…Three…Two…One…"

Sonny slammed the door just as her mom entered the main room.

All in all, it ended up being a pretty good day. Sure, Sonny was sick through most of it, but she still got to see her boyfriend, bottle-feed a calf, and laugh at the hilarious cow for eating Chad's phone.

Yep. Even a day away from Condor could still be great.

Author's Note: Like I promised, I am going to finish this story. I have ideas for the next two chapters - yay!

Review? Please?


	38. Episode 37: My Two Chads

Look at that: ANOTHER update!

My goodness, I'm flying through these chapters now!

Hm. I hope that doesn't mean they suck.

Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! I love each and every one of you more than you'll ever know!

Disclaimer: I own a new ring, pillow, and glass cow. Nothing from SWAC though.

Episode 37:

My Two Chads

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does Not Go On Dangerous Dates**

October second was the day Sonny Munroe decided to give Chad Dylan Cooper another chance.

By October third, she was already coming up with conditions.

"You can't send Chaz out on dates with me," she stated firmly. "If a date sounds too dangerous, just tell me the truth. I'd rather find some activity we can do together than go out with your stunt-double."

"Right," Chad replied, nodding his head vigorously. "No more dates with Chaz."

"And it would be nice if you'd put a little more effort into getting to know me," Sonny continued. "You expect people to memorize every little detail about you because you're such a great guy, and yet you can't even tell me when my birthday is."

"Uh-huh. More details. Got it."

"You need to stop lying to me as well. You can't pretend you're this amazing boyfriend when you're really skipping out on dates. A relationship doesn't work without trust and right now, I have no idea how I'm supposed to trust you after everything you've done – Chad, are you even listening to me?"

Chad lowered the lobster claw he was about to stick in his mouth. "Funny, funny little Sonny. When have I ever listened to you?"

He really should have expected the punch his girlfriend inflicted on his shoulder. Man, she could hit hard when she was angry!

"That," he said, holding up a finger, "Is exactly why I sent Chaz on dates. You, Miss Munroe, have a violent streak under that extremely cute exterior."

"You think I'm cute?" Sonny gushed. Then, she cleared her throat loudly, regaining her composure. "Stop trying to charm me! I'm trying to talk to you about something serious, Chad. If you can't even pay attention, how do you plan on fixing our relationship?"

"I _was_ paying attention," Chad pointed out. "I was paying attention when you called me last night. I was paying attention on the drive to work this morning. I was even paying attention while we waited in line for our lunches. That's a lot of listening, Sonny! If I keep listening, my ear is going to fall off from over-use!"

Realizing Chad was right (sometimes Sonny didn't notice how much talking she did), the brunette hung her head. She hadn't been trying to annoy Chad; she just wanted him to understand that what he did with Chaz wasn't right.

"I'm sorry," she apologized softly. "It's just…It hurt me when I found out you were brushing off our dates. I felt like maybe…I don't know…you're tired of being my boyfriend."

Dropping the lobster a second time, Chad turned to Sonny, gently cupping her chin in his hand. It didn't matter that the entire commissary was watching them; all he cared about was making sure his girlfriend heard every word he was about to tell her.

"I am not now – nor will I ever be – tired of being your boyfriend, sonshine."

"You're just saying that," Sonny accused.

"No, I'm not." Chad sighed. How was he going to prove to Sonny that he really did care about her? "Look, I promise I'm going to do all that stuff you've been talking about lately. You know, the whole finding out more about you thing and going on dates myself. As a matter of fact, I was hoping to ask you out on a date tonight."

Sonny's eyes lit up immediately. "You were?"

"I sure was!" This was one of the many moments Chad was happy to be an actor. He hadn't been planning on making a date at all, but he was happy he'd thought of it! "To further show you how sorry I am for everything, I'm even going to let you choose what we do for our date."

He was allowing her to pick the activity for their date? She needed to think of something great, something that would totally make Chad's night, something that would bring the two of them closer than ever-

"We should go mountain-climbing!"

Finally finding time to stuff a few bites of lobster into his mouth, Chad nearly choked on them after hearing Sonny's suggestion.

"Mountain – Mountain-climbing?" he managed to croak.

"What's the matter, Cooper?" Sonny taunted. "Does that sound too dangerous for you?"

She wanted him to say yes. She wanted him to admit that mountain-climbing was too dangerous for either of them and they should think of something safer to do with their time. That way, she would know that he was ready to start being honest with her. If Chad was able to admit something was out of his comfort-level, maybe he could do it again instead of asking Chaz to perform the stunt for him.

Chad wanted to say no. Mountain-climbing wasn't safe for anyone, especially famous three-named dramatic actors who were afraid of heights. However, if he denied Sonny her request, she would think he was a chicken. No one called Chad Dylan Cooper a chicken.

"Okay," he agreed slowly. "Mountain-climbing it is!"

"Good," Sonny said with a smile.

"Good," Chad repeated.

Despite their words, neither teen felt good about the impending date.

* * *

"Mountain-climbing?" Connie Munroe echoed. "You're making Chad Dylan Cooper go mountain-climbing?"

"I'm not making him do anything, mom," Sonny protested from the bathroom, where she was trying to brush her hair into the perfect ponytail. "He let me choose what we would do tonight, I made a suggestion, and he went along with it. He could've said no."

"But mountain-climbing? Honey, this is the same guy who wouldn't even drink a hot beverage! How do you expect him to risk his life doing something this dangerous?"

"Indoor mountain-climbing," Sonny pointed out. "I don't think either of us is going to be in danger while we're in a store."

Studying her reflection in the mirror, Sonny realized she'd missed a few strands. She let the current ponytail go and started working on a new one. She didn't turn around when she saw her mom appear in the bathroom's open doorway.

"Sonny," the older of the two stated. "You don't even like mountain-climbing."

"So?"

"So why are you going? Are you trying to make Chad break up with you? Because I can promise you he'll do just that if you keep pushing him to his limits."

"Of course I don't want Chad to break up with me! I want him to stay with me forever. I want us to be that couple that everyone looks at ten years from now and says, 'Wow. I can't believe they're still together!' Can't you see that isn't going to happen if we continue down the path we're on now? Don't you get that we're going to fall apart at the seams?"

Sonny threw her hairbrush against the wall – not hard enough to leave a mark, thankfully – and gripped the sink so hard that her fingers turned white. She bowed her head quickly but Connie wasn't stupid. She could tell when her daughter was about to cry.

"Oh, baby," she said gently, wrapping her arms around the teen. "What makes you think you and Chad are going to fall apart?"

"You saw the game show we were on yesterday, didn't you? He knew absolutely nothing about me and we've been going out for months. Months! Not only that, but he's been sending another guy on dates with me. Why would he do something like that? He's my boyfriend. Shouldn't he want to spend time with me?"

'_Ohh, Chad is so lucky he's not here right now,' _Connie thought, shaking her head. _'I might have to kill him for making my little girl cry!'_

"I wish I could stand here and tell you that everything will work out the way you want it to," she started, "But I couldn't do that without lying. I can't see into the future. I have no idea if you and Chad are meant to be. I do know this much though: Chad was a jerk when we first moved to Hollywood, right?"

Sonny nodded solemnly. "Everyone hated him back then."

"You never hated him, did you?"

Through the mirror, Connie watched as her daughter mulled over her answer. Finally, she shook her head. "No…No, I never hated him."

"Why didn't you hate him, Sonny? What was it about Chad that drew you to him instead of pushing you away?"

Of course Sonny knew the answer to that: Chad won her over during the rare occasions when he was nice. She knew that even though he looked like a tough guy on the outside, he wasn't as mean as he thought he was.

"I never hated him because I thought there was a person worth getting to know beneath all the jerkiness," she snapped, rolling her eyes. "What if I was wrong? What if the real Chad Dylan Cooper isn't worth getting to know? What if he doesn't have a nice bone in his body?"

"He asked you out even though the two of you are supposed to be enemies, didn't he?" Connie pointed out. "He took you on a second first date after ruining the first one. He went camping and even looked after your friends while you were sick in an effort to bring your two casts together. He even rode a bike and gave himself a concussion just to show you how sorry he was! I would say he has a few nice bones in him."

"Okay, so maybe he can be nice. That still doesn't make up for him not knowing anything about me or-,"

"He's already apologized for that. He knows what he did was wrong and I'm sure he'll try harder now. This is the first time he's had a long-term girlfriend. You can't expect him to learn everything there is to learn overnight. Relationships take time, effort, work, and patience from both parties, not just one of them."

Sonny's grip loosened from the sink as she raised her head, meeting her mom's eyes for the first time.

"You think I should go easy on him, don't you?"

"Well, I think he's going to have a hard time changing into a better person if he dies on a mountain-climbing expedition."

Connie kissed the top of Sonny's head before fleeing the bathroom, leaving the actress alone with her thoughts. Sonny couldn't keep from sighing.

Why did parents always have to be right?

* * *

"We don't have to do this."

"I _want_ to do this."

"It's not too late to go out for dinner or hit a movie-,"

"No. We agreed on mountain-climbing. Mountain-climbing is what we're going to do."

Throughout the entire argument, Chad never took his eyes off the wall looming before him. Yes, it would be scary. Yes, he would probably look like an idiot. No, he wasn't going to chicken out and go with one of Sonny's other suggestions. He promised her mountain-climbing and mountain-climbing was what she was going to get!

Thankfully, there weren't very many customers shopping in the sporting goods store. Chad could only imagine how awful it would be to try scaling the wall while people snapped pictures of him. That would be a great story for Tween Weekly: Chad Dylan Cooper Only Makes It Half-Way Up the Mountain!

"Good evening!" a man greeted as he joined the couple. He wore a nametag that read Mike and a very bright smile. "Are you guys thinking about going up?"

"Up?" Chad repeated nervously.

"We were thinking about it," Sonny jumped in. "We might wait for another night…"

"She doesn't know what she's talking about," Chad denied, waving off Sonny's rebuff. "We're not only thinking about going up; we're planning on it!"

"Great!" Mike exclaimed. "I just have a few forms I need the two of you to sign and then we'll get you strapped up in the harnesses!"

"What are the forms for?" Sonny asked as the employee handed her a clipboard.

"Oh, you know, just the usual stuff. How our store can't be held responsible if you get hurt, blah blah blah. Stuff like that."

Chad tore the papers from Sonny before she could sign them.

"Hurt? How would we get hurt? Have your harnesses ever been broken? Has anyone gotten hurt here before?"

"Whoa, calm down! The forms are just a cautionary thing," Mike explained, holding his hands before his chest defensively. "It's rare for someone to injure themselves indoor mountain-climbing."

"He knows that," Sonny replied, stealing back the clipboard. "He knows that what we're about to do isn't really dangerous at all, don't you, Chad?"

The dramatic actor nodded. "Pfft – of course I know it's not dangerous! How stupid do you think I am?"

"Right…Well, I'm going to get your gear ready while you look over the forms," Mike said, already heading off. "I'll be right back!"

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Sonny asked, giving her boyfriend one final chance to admit defeat. "I'm not going to think any less of you, you know."

"If Chaz Milton Looper can handle dates like this, so can I," Chad stated firmly.

"You're only doing this to prove you're better than Chaz, aren't you?" Sonny finally caught on. "Chad, you don't need to do something you're scared of just to make your point-,"

"Sonny, listen." Chad took her hand, squeezing it lightly. "When I asked you what you wanted to do tonight and this was what you came up with, I was surprised. Obviously, you're the kind of girl who likes dangerous dates. And I'm okay with that…or I will be okay with that. I'm willing to do anything to keep you happy – even if it means putting myself in danger."

"Chad, there's something you should know before it's too late-,"

Mike chose that moment to return. Chad handed over the forms and that was that. The next thing she knew, Sonny was slipping on her harness as Chad did the same.

"As you can see, there are plenty of places along the wall where you can put your hands and feet," Mike went over the rules. "The goal is to reach the very top before your opponent. There's a bell up there – you probably can't see it from here – but whoever rings it first will be declared the winner. If at any time you feel you need to return to the ground, just raise your hand. I'll let you down…but you can't start over again without paying another fee."

"Won't I have to let go of the wall in order to raise my hand?" Chad asked. "What if I fall?"

"The whole time you're climbing, I'm going to be holding onto this rope," Mike explained, holing the rope up so Chad could see what he was talking about. "Trust me: as long as I'm holding this, you're not going to fall."

"You won't need to raise your hand anyway," Sonny encouraged. "You're going to make it to the top, Chad!"

A scowl was her only response.

"Well, it sounds like you guys are ready to begin!" Mike interjected. "Ladies on the right, men on the left, please."

Sonny and Chad headed to their respective sides, waiting for their signal to start climbing. The wall was huge; there was plenty of room for three or four more people to climb along beside the two actors. Sonny was glad it wasn't squished. She would probably concentrate more on finding the fastest way up than staying in a straight line while doing so.

"Oh! I almost forget the most important part!" Mike ran up, bring two helmets with him. "You need to put these on before you do any climbing!"

"We better forget about the whole thing," Sonny said, gesturing to Chad. "He can't stand helmet hair."

"Ha ha," her boyfriend commented. "That was so funny I forgot to laugh."

With their helmets fastened tightly – Chad in blue, Sonny in red – everything was finally ready for action. Sonny bounced from foot to foot as she anticipated the 'go' signal. Chad, standing several feet away from his girl, couldn't stop staring at the top of the wall. Why did it have to be so tall?!

"On your marks!" Mike cried out. "Get set…GO!"

It didn't take Sonny long to find a steady rhythm. Right hand went to a new cleft, right foot followed. Left hand went to a new cleft, left foot followed. Hey, this wasn't as hard as she thought it would be! However, when she paused to see if Chad was having as much fun as she was, she found a completely different story:

Chad Dylan Cooper was still on the ground.

"This is the part where you're supposed to climb, Chad!" she called down to him. "You're not going to let me ring the bell first, are you? You don't want to let a Random win!"

"I'm just giving you a head-start," he lied smoothly. "I figured that was the fair thing to do. You know, since I'm so much better at this than you are."

"A head-start, huh?" Sonny shrugged. "Okay. If you're allowed to do that, then I guess I can give you a chance to catch up."

"I don't need your pity."

"Who said anything about pity? I'm just giving my arms a chance to rest, that's all."

Chad wasn't stupid. He knew exactly what Sonny was doing. He watched her as she dangled above him several feet, one hand covering her mouth as she yawned. She made mountain-climbing look so easy.

"Come on, man!" Mike complained, studying his watch. "I can't close up the store until every customer is out of here. Please don't make me stay here all night!"

Reaching for one of the clefts that were easily within his reach, Chad pulled himself up enough to get his feet off the ground. Instead of going any further, he stopped where he was. Sonny could see that he was shaking in fear.

"You know what I like most about climbing?" she said in a loud voice, making sure it would reach Chad's ears. "I love how you keep going and going and going until you finally reach the top and you don't even realize how far you've gone. It's like, the higher up you go, the more your troubles disappear."

"Of course your troubles disappear," Chad agreed. "The higher you go, the more dangerous the drop will be if you fall. After you're dead, you have no more troubles!"

Well…That wasn't the direction she'd wanted the conversation to go.

"I suppose that's one way of looking at it," she finally said, "But you're so close to the ground right now, you wouldn't even get a bruise if you fell."

"Good. I'm Chad Dylan Cooper. I can't afford to get a bruise."

Her plan wasn't working. Sonny needed to think of something else if she wanted to get Chad moving. She just needed some sort of reward, something that would force Chad to move his feet-

-She needed to act out his biggest fear. Chad was scared to death of falling, right? Maybe if he thought she was in danger…

Slowly, making sure her boyfriend was focusing his attention on anything except her (thankfully, he was still staring at the wall), Sonny slid one of her feet off its current cleft. Her entire leg plunged downward.

"Chad!" she cried in terror. "Chad, help me! I'm falling!"

Forgetting about his own safety, Chad shot forward, moving ten times faster than Sonny had gone before stopping for his sake. He was breathless by the time he reached her, but he still managed to wrap a comforting arm around her.

"Sonny!" he panted, his blue eyes searching hers quickly. "Are you okay? You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"

"You're the one who's going to be hurting."

Chad gave her a puzzled look. "Why am I-,"

"You were just tricked by a Random!"

She took off, continuing on her path toward the bell. Chad, realizing that his girlfriend had never been in any real danger, followed after her. This time, the distance between them could be measured in inches instead of feet.

With Chad hot on her tail, Sonny climbed as fast as she could. Just to make sure the dramatic actor stayed focused, she would throw taunts at him every now and then. He stayed behind her for most of the race-

-Until the two teens were almost to the top of the wall.

"You better wipe that smile off your face, Munroe," he said, the sweat glistening on his forehead. "You're about to lose!"

"Last time I checked, I was the one in the lead, Cooper."

"Oh, really? Well, maybe you should check again!"

The bell was just within Sonny's reach when a different set of fingers wrapped around it, keeping the actress from ringing it. His triumphant smile was glorious as Chad rang the bell loud and proud, almost as though he was proclaiming to the entire store – nay, the entire world – that he was a champion.

"In your face!" he bragged, snickering at his girlfriend in a very impolite manner. "You were all, 'Oh, I need to rest my arms. I have this race in the bag!' I guess somebody was a little bit too cocky, wasn't she?"

"Maybe somebody was," Sonny relented, "But I think somebody else was a little bit too unsure of himself, wasn't he?"

"What are you talking about?" Chad scoffed. "I never doubted my skills!"

Sonny leaned closer in order to whisper in Chad's ear. "Look down."

He did just that – and yelped in a very un-Chad like way. He clung to the wall tighter than ever.

"I hate heights," he chanted. "I hate heights, I hate heights, I hate heights!"

Sonny knew exactly how to calm him down this time: she pressed her lips against his cheek in a feather-light kiss.

"Thank you," she said softly. "What you did tonight, climbing this stupid wall with me when you're afraid of heights and…Well, let's just say that you earned back some of my trust tonight."

"I did?" Chad cleared his throat when his girlfriend glared at him. "I mean, of course I did! How, exactly, did I do it though?"

"You did something dangerous even though you really didn't want to," Sonny explained. "That proved to me that you're done sending Chaz out on dates."

"You don't have to worry about Chaz ever again," Chad promised. "From now on, our dates are going to be exactly the way they should be: just you and me."

Maybe Chad wasn't the perfect boyfriend. He had a lot to learn about relationships and, in all honesty, so did Sonny. She was far from the perfect girlfriend. Would she ever get better at accepting Chad for who he was? Would he ever learn that dating someone meant putting the other person before you?

She didn't know the answers to any of the questions, but she did know one thing: she and Chad would figure them out together.

Author's Note: So? What did you think?

Let me know in a review?


	39. Episode 38: 100 Chance of Meddling

Author's Note: Yeah! Another new update!

Here's a few things you guys should know:

1. I'm skipping the So Random holiday specials (the Halloween and Christmas episodes). Why? Well, for one reason, they are episodes of So Random, not Sonny With a Chance. My other reasoning? I've written Channy Halloween and Christmas stories before. I'm not really in the mood to do it again - not during February anyway.

2. This chapter does not actually take place DURING the episode - it takes place BEFORE the episode. For anyone who doesn't remember, this episode begins with a So Random sketch - one about horrible camp songs. This chapter takes place while that sketch was still being written.

3. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING/REVIEWING!

Yeah...I think that's all I needed to say...Enjoy your read!

Disclaimer: I own nothing - not the swac characters nor the lyrics from the show.

Episode 38:

Sonny With a 100% Chance of Meddling

**Chad Dylan Cooper Will Never "Sonny It Up"**

Sonny never showed up for lunch.

It wasn't that Chad was worried about her – he'd given her a ride to a studio, she had to be around somewhere – but he was curious why the rest of the Randoms found time to eat. He thought about asking them the whereabouts of his girlfriend but decided against it. What was the use in trying to befriend them when Sonny wasn't around to witness it? She was the one who believed in their casts getting along and the 'magic of friendship'. The only person he cared to be friends with was the missing actress herself, not her weird cast mates.

So, in order to avoid speaking to the unimportant members of the So Random cast, Chad left the commissary to search for his Sonny.

The first place he checked was the stage Sonny performed on every Wednesday night. He found plenty of cameramen and lightning guys and even Marshall, the Random's director. He almost side-tracked, wondering if Marshall would know where his girlfriend was, but he changed his mind at the last minute, sticking out his tongue in disgust. He hadn't spoken to his girlfriend's director since that day so many months ago when Sonny, trying to hide the fact that she had just complimented Chad Dylan Cooper, called Marshall 'hot'. Every time he looked at the older man's balding head, all he could think about was what Sonny had said, which quite honestly made him want to puke.

Chad tried the Prop House next. This time, he found nothing except an empty room. He scratched his head in confusion. If Sonny wasn't on stage or hanging in the Prop House, where was she?

That was when he heard it: a soft, almost melodic, tune.

Wondering where the noise was coming from if Tawni, Nico, Grady, and Zora were all enjoying their lunch break, Chad followed the music. The closer he got to Sonny's dressing room, the louder the music became. He continued forward until he finally reached the open door, the one bearing a huge S.

He'd found his Sonny.

She was sitting at her vanity, a guitar in her lap and a notebook laid out across the flat surface in front of her. One hand lightly strummed the guitar's strings while the other held a pen at her lips, where she was chewing on it rather furiously.

"Campfire," she muttered, not noticing that she was no longer alone. "Campfire…What rhymes with campfire?!"

Instead of answering her own question, Sonny let her head droop. It landed on her notebook, which was where it stayed as she let out a loud groan.

"Need some help?"

Chad smirked as Sonny jumped back to her original up-right position, brushing her hair out of her face as she tried to turn her grimace into a smile.

"Oh, hey, Chad!" she greeted in fake enthusiasm. "What are you doing here?"

"I think a better question is, 'What are you doing here?'"

Sonny nodded to the guitar. "Oh, you know…Just…writing some new songs."

"I see." Chad leaned against the doorway coolly. "I didn't know songs about campfires were so popular right now, Munroe."

"They're not," Sonny admitted, shaking her head in defeat. "I've performed two songs on So Random now – Me, Myself, and Time along with Piece of Art-,"

"Both of which you sounded amazing on," Chad interrupted.

"Apparently I sounded a little bit too amazing. Mr. Condor says our ratings soared after both of my performances, so he wants to incorporate more music into the show. Marshall asked us to start working on a new skit, and since I'm the only one who's ever written her own songs…"

Now Chad understood why Sonny never showed up for lunch. Her so-called 'friends' had left her to write a sketch by herself, putting all the work on her shoulders instead of theirs. Those mean, cruel, heartless people-

_'Wait,' _a little voice in the back of Chad's mind spoke up. _'Why don't you step in and save the day? You can help Sonny with her sketch and be a hero at the same time!'_

"You know," the blonde heartthrob said, dragging one of Sonny's extra chairs to the vanity, "I know a little bit about writing songs, too."

"You do?" Sonny's face glowed with happiness.

"I do. Tell me what you have so far and I'll see how I can help."

Sonny told him everything: how before the Randoms got hungry, they'd help come up with the general idea behind the skit. She and Grady were going to play camp counselors – well, actually Sonny would be Counselor Jenny while Grady was Dan Dan the Guitar Man. The two of them would be singing camping songs, but not the cute ones most kids knew by heart. No, Sonny and Grady would be singing about the bad aspects of camping.

"I know it sounds easy enough, but I haven't even finished one song yet," she said as a closing statement. "Actually, I haven't even finished one _line_ yet!"

"You must have something," Chad encouraged, nodding to her notebook. "You were trying to find a word that rhymed with campfire when I got here, remember?"

"Well, I do have a few words…"

"Let's hear them!"

Shrugging her shoulders, Sonny focused her attention on the notebook. "Come gather around the campfire and hear how someone's afraid of the dark."

"Not too shabby," Chad conceded, gesturing for Sonny to hand over the paper, "But I do have a few suggestions."

She handed over the notebook and pen only too happily. Chad started correcting her work right away.

"First off," he explained, putting an 'x' through the first letter in 'around', "We're going to change this to 'round. It'll sound more like a real song that way. And how about instead of saying 'someone' is afraid of the dark, we use a real name? That will make the song more personal and easier to relate to."

"Ohh," Sonny cooed, leaning over as far as her chair would allow so she could watch Chad's hand as it glided over her messed up lyrics. "Whose name are we going to use?"

"Have you ever gone to summer camp?"

_'Oops,' _Chad thought too late, watching as his girlfriend's face lit up. _'That was a really stupid question to ask someone who likes to talk too much…'_

"I used to go to summer camp every year when I was younger!" Sonny gushed. "I had so much fun swimming and hiking and eating that awful camp food and making new friends and making things out of macaroni-,"

"That's great, Sonshine, but what I meant to ask was if you knew anybody who was afraid of the dark."

The actress grew quiet as she thought over her answer. Summer camp had been her home away from home every summer during her childhood. She had made a lot of friends there – Lucy included – but were any of them afraid when the lights went out?

"There was this one boy," she recollected, "Who would scream every time we told ghost stories. He got dared to go into the woods alone – we waited until it was really late so the counselors would be asleep and couldn't stop us – and he ended up having some kind of panic attack. I think his name was Benny."

"You dared some poor boy to go into the woods alone?" Chad scoffed. "Wow, Sonny. I thought you were the nice girl back then."

"I wasn't the one who dared him to do it! Besides, the camp was for kids of all ages. Benny was one of the youngest people and there was a group of bullies who liked to pick on him."

"That sounds just like the summer camp I went to!"

Sonny looked at her boyfriend in surprise. "You went to summer camp?"

"Only for a year," the actor confirmed. "My parents thought I should try some of the things regular kids did just in case I didn't make it as an actor. Yeah, like that was ever going to happen!"

Without giving away any further details, Chad turned his attention back to Sonny's notebook, this time scribbling out the word 'someone's'.

"We'll change this," he said as he went along, "To 'Benny's'."

"Come gather 'round the campfire and hear how Benny's afraid of the dark," Sonny read aloud. "It does sound better now…but there's still something off."

"Of course! I can't believe I didn't see this sooner!"

Sonny's pen flew across the white page – from Chad's hand, not her own – as the dramatic actor made a few more changes. Then, smiling smugly, he handed the notebook back to his girlfriend.

"Read it now," he ordered. "I think you'll find it to your liking, Miss Munroe."

"Gather 'round the campfire spark and hear how Benny's afraid of the dark," she read again, almost needing to sing the words because they fit together so well. "Chad, you're a musical genius!"

"I only helped you with one line, Sonny. It's going to take a lot more than that to finish your song." He took the notebook from her eager fingers. "How did Benny react whenever the lights went out?"

"Well, I guess he acted like any other child does when they're scared: by screaming, shouting, and crying."

Chad bowed his head over the pad of paper, not looking up until several minutes had gone by. Then, he gestured to the guitar.

"Play the tune you'll be using for this song," he said. "Let's see if the lyrics match up."

"But you haven't even told me what the new lyrics are-,"

"You'll hear them soon enough." Chad motioned to the instrument again. "Play!"

Sonny strummed her fingers against the strings lightly, playing the easy melody. Chad listened long enough to get a feel for the tune before he started singing.

"Gather 'round the campfire spark and hear how Benny's afraid of the dark. He cries at night when the lights go out. He weeps like a baby, he screams and shouts!"

That was all the prompting Sonny needed to remove the guitar from her shoulders. She held it where Chad could easily reach it.

"Why don't you handle the music from now on," she suggested, "And I'll cover the lyrics."

"You didn't like my song?" The three-named jerk-throb did his best to look offended.

"It was very rude and insensitive and mean."

Chad smirked. "Ah. So in other words, you loved it, but you're too embarrassed to admit it."

The brunette's only response was to hit her boyfriend with the notebook.

"We need to think of something else to write about," she stated the obvious, crossing her legs now that she wasn't balancing an instrument in her lap. "What were some other issues you noticed while you were at summer camp?"

"Are you kidding? Pretty much every kid at my camp had something wrong with them," Chad stated. "Frankie was upset because he didn't have any friends. Some of the others thought the campsite was haunted. Jessie screamed in his sleep – unfortunately, I shared a cabin with him and can I say one thing? It is NOT easy to sleep when someone won't stop screaming! The talent show we had at the end of the summer? Yeah, that was a tragedy! No one – except for me, of course – had any talent. Well, there was this other girl I kind of remember who told a few jokes…she wasn't half bad…Not as good as me, but not half bad either. Kids were always trying to eat the dirt, my bug juice always tasted like there were real bugs in it, when one person got poison ivy everybody knew about it-,"

"Slow down, slow down!" Sonny was writing as fast as she could, but she couldn't keep up with everything Chad was saying. "You're going too fast!"

"One time, we even found this skunk," Chad continued, acting like he hadn't heard Sonny's request. "I convinced a few of my friends to help me hide the skunk in one of the loser's bunks. That was one of the best pranks I've ever played! Oh, and I even gave a kid a swirly once! There were some kids who were even stranger than the rest of them – they tried to actually bite the rest of us. I don't know why they would try to bite other kids unless they were cannibals or something."

By the time Chad finally took a break from his stories, Sonny's hand was cramping up from writing so much. She decided it was time to take a break.

"Where are you going?" Chad demanded, watching as his girlfriend stood up. "We have songs to write!"

"We can write them later," Sonny waved off his concern. "I need a snack to get my brain working again. I've been sitting in this room too long."

She was halfway out the door before she felt a hand wrap around her wrist. For some reason she couldn't fathom, Chad was dragging her back inside.

"The snacks will still be there when your songs are finished," he said firmly. "Now you sit your butt back down in that chair and get to work!"

"I think I can afford to take a break, Chad. Marshall didn't say anything about the sketch needing to be completed today-,"

"But I have a great idea for another song!" Chad protested. "I might lose my train of thought if we stop working now. Come on, Sonny. Just five more minutes, I promise!"

Chad Dylan Cooper was begging to continue working on a So Random sketch. He'd never done that before. How could Sonny tell him no?

"Fine," she relented. "We'll work for five more minutes. But after that, we're taking a break or you're not getting any dessert the next time we go out for dinner!"

It wasn't until they were sitting down again and Chad was suggesting writing a song about being home-sick that Sonny thought of something.

"Hey," she interrupted whatever her boyfriend had been about to say. "You said the talent show at the end of the summer was terrible, right?"

"You mean the year I went to summer camp?" Chad asked, waiting for Sonny's nod. "Well, yeah. I guess a lot of kids haven't grown into their talents by the time they're nine. Not everyone is as lucky as I am."

"But you said there was a girl who told jokes, didn't you?"

"Yep. She was the only person besides me who had even an ounce of talent."

Sonny wrung her hands together nervously. "I – I used to tell jokes every year during the talent show."

The room fell into a very uncomfortable silence. Somehow, Chad knew exactly what Sonny was thinking: was it just a coincidence that Chad had met a girl who liked telling jokes or had that girl been a younger Sonny Munroe?

"There's – there's no way we met each other when we were nine," Chad laughed it off. "I grew up in Hollywood. You were in Wisconsin. How could we have ended up at the same camp?"

Sonny laughed as well. "Yeah, I guess you're right. We should probably get back to the music, shouldn't we?"

"Good idea," Chad agreed quickly.

Sonny didn't tell Chad that one year, she'd been accepted into a summer camp in Hollywood. She wasn't trying to become an actress – she was only nine years old – but she and Lucy had posted a few online videos which they referred to as 'funny videos'. Somebody in Hollywood must have been watching even back then because she and Lucy were both flown out to spend one amazing summer in Hollywood.

She could have pressed the issue. She could have told Chad about her summer living in the same state as him before she officially moved to Hollywood several years later. What was the point? Why did it matter when she and Chad Dylan Cooper had officially met?

The past was in the past. Sonny wanted to live for the moment-

-And this moment, the one she was spending with Chad in her dressing room, writing songs about summer camp, felt pretty darn special.

* * *

_*Random summer camp in Hollywood*_

A nine year old Sonny Munroe was skipping down the dirt trail. She knew she was supposed to stay with the group, but the squirrel had just been too cute! How could anyone expect her to keep walking when there was a squirrel just waiting for someone to befriend him?

Because of her decision to stay behind, Sonny was now separated from the rest of the kids. She wasn't afraid; she would just follow the path until she found either the campsite or her friends. She knew she wouldn't get lost, but even if she did, Counselor Susie would rescue her.

As she was skipping along, Sonny heard a strange sound. She stopped and strained her ears, wondering if she was hearing things. Nope; there it was again! It sounded like someone was crying.

"Hello?" Sonny cried out. "Can anyone hear me?"

"No," another voice answered. "There's no one else here!"

Sonny was too smart for that game. She headed toward the new voice – which was coming from off the path, a clear violation of Counselor Susie's rules – and kept walking until she found what she was looking for.

There he was: a boy close to Sonny's age who was sitting by a tree. His eyes were blue and sparkly, his hair short and blonde. He looked friendly enough.

The boy looked up when Sonny walked toward him. He rolled his eyes when he recognized her. He'd seen her around the camp: brown hair, matching brown eyes, always wearing a smile no matter what…She was what the other kids liked to call a 'nut-job'.

"Go away," he told her. "I want to be alone."

He was too late: Sonny was already sitting beside him.

"Why would you want to be alone?" she asked. "I'm a very nice girl. I'm not going to hurt you."

"No offense, but I found this tree first. Go find your own tree to sit under."

Sonny stayed right where she was and pointed at the paper Chad was clutching. "What's that?"

"It's a letter, stupid," Chad replied. "Haven't you ever seen a letter before?"

"Of course I've seen a letter," Sonny replied. "My parents send me a new one every day!"

"Every day?" Chad repeated.

"Uh-huh," Sonny confirmed. "Don't your parents write to you every day, too?"

He shifted his weight and tried to hide the letter from Sonny's sight. "Not exactly. I'm not a baby though. I don't need my parents to write me every day."

"They send you a letter every other day then, right?" Sonny asked. Chad shook his head slowly. "Every week?" Another declination. "Oh…I'm sorry."

"My parents are too busy to write," Chad explained. "See, I'm an actor and my parents are out looking for new movies for me to star in!"

Sonny smiled kindly. "You're an actor? What's your name?"

"Chad Dylan Cooper."

She scrunched her forehead. "Oh…You must not be a very good actor."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I've never heard of you before."

"Well, you'll know who I am someday," Chad said. "I'm going to have my own show and then everyone will know who Chad Dylan Cooper is!"

"Can I be on your show?" Sonny asked. "I'm really good at telling jokes!"

Chad couldn't help himself; he scoffed. "There won't be any jokes on _my _show. Everyone knows that comedians aren't real actors."

Maybe everyone was supposed to know that comedians weren't real actors, but Sonny had been told a completely different story.

"Oh, yeah?" she huffed angrily. "Well, I'm going to have my own show too and you can't be on it because it'll only be for comedians!"

The nine year old left the tree behind as she stormed away. Chad watched her go, glad that he could finally be alone with his thoughts. Then, he realized something very important.

"Hey!" he shouted, stumbling down the path as he tried to catch up. "You never told me what your name is!"

"What do you care?" Sonny responded. "Why don't you just go back to your tree and dream about that show you'll never have some more?"

Chad would have gone back to his tree-

-If there hadn't been a huge bear standing right behind him.

"BEAR!" he yelped, running to hide behind the nameless girl. "AHH!"

"You scream like a girl," she informed him. "And what do you think you're doing, hiding behind me like that?"

"Did you not hear me? There's a bear!"

"I know there's a bear. That's why I should be the one hiding behind you!"

The two nine year olds started dancing their own peculiar waltz. Sonny rushed to find a safe spot behind the blonde boy while he tried to push her back to the frontline. All the while, the bear came forward, caring less which teen it encountered first. They both looked perfectly eatable in its opinion.

"Stop that!" Sonny finally ordered, locking her fingers on Chad's shoulders so he couldn't force her in front of him again. "Be a man and protect me!"

"How am I supposed to protect you?" Chad demanded. "Let the bear eat me first so you have five seconds to run?"

"Fend off the bear!"

Fend off the bear? He was only nine! How was he supposed to fend off a bear without any help? He didn't have any weapons or-

-Or did he?

Chad hadn't noticed it at first – the bear's snarling teeth were kind of distracting – but there was a rather large stick resting on the ground only several feet away. Maybe if he could reach that stick…

Clutching to him all the tighter, Sonny followed every move Chad made as he inched toward the stick. It was annoying to have a real live shadow hanging off him and he considered asking her to let him go, but starting another fight wasn't going to help either of them.

"What are you doing?" Sonny whispered.

"I'm trying to get that stick," Chad whispered back.

"The bear is getting closer."

"I can see him just as good as you can."

"Then why aren't you moving faster?"

The bear chose that moment to stand on its hind legs. Chad and Sonny watched, mortified, as the huge animal tossed back its head and let out a ferocious growl. By the time it was back on four feet, both future actors were too afraid to move.

Zeroing in on its prey, the bear decided it was time to attack. Lowering its head and opening its mouth, it charged forward. Sonny and Chad were dead meat.

At the last second, Chad pushed Sonny out of the way and grabbed the stick as he did so. Sonny fell and refused to get up again, which was where she stayed as she watched Chad with fearful eyes. He held the stick firmly, standing his ground. When the bear was nearly upon him, Sonny closed her eyes-

"Come on!" was the next thing she heard as a hand tugged hers. "We need to run now!"

As Chad led Sonny away from the danger, she glanced over her shoulder. The bear was still there alright – only now, it had a stick stuck in its jaw.

Sonny and Chad kept running for what felt like an hour, refusing to stop or slow down. They ran until finally, at long last, they were able to see their campsite. Only then did the two campers pause long enough to catch their breath.

"You just," Sonny said, holding a stich in her side where she was sore from all the running, "Saved my life."

"It was no big deal," Chad replied, pasting a smile on his face.

"It was a very big deal," Sonny argued. "I would be bear food by now if it wasn't for you. I guess what I'm trying to say is…thanks."

Ugh…Chad hated it when people thanked him, especially when they were strange girls he still didn't know the name of.

"How about you thank me by never mentioning this to anyone," he suggested.

"Okay," Sonny agreed. "How about we shake on it?"

She held out her hand. Chad, eyeing the palm nervously, glanced around to make sure no one was watching him. The last thing he needed was for the other campers to start spreading rumors about Chad Dylan Cooper dating – dating – well, dating whatever this girl's name was! Once he was sure that no one was around, he slipped his hand into Sonny's.

"This," Sonny explained, wrapping her fingers around Chad's, refusing to let him have his limb back, "Is an unbreakable promise. If either of us ever speaks of the bear again, he-,"

"Or she," Chad interjected.

"-Will have to eat an entire bucket of worms," Sonny finished.

They shook hands, sealing their unbreakable promise…forever.

* * *

Over the years, Sonny Munroe forgot about the bear incident and how Chad Dylan Cooper saved her life. She never told the story to anyone – not her mom or Lucy even – and gradually, the details faded away. By the time she moved to Hollywood to join the So Random cast, she really thought she was meeting Chad for the first time.

Who would've thought that writing a sketch about camping songs would bring back so many memories? She could picture little Benny and his petrified face that night he was dared to enter the woods. She remembered sitting around campfires every night singing songs and eating s'mores.

Most of all though, she remembered how a nine year old Chad had become her secret hero.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Chad asked while slipping on his coat. "Is there something in my teeth?"

Sonny reached for his hand before he could start feeling the inside of his mouth, searching for a piece of forgotten food.

"You look perfect, Chad," she reassured him. "…Just like you always have."

Chad smiled and gave his girlfriend's hand an extra squeeze. "So…What do you want to do tonight? Watch movies at your house? Go out for dinner?"

"Let's go to the mall."

Staring at the actress in surprise, Chad asked, "The mall? Why do you want to go there?"

"I don't know." Sonny shrugged innocently. "I was hoping maybe you would buy me a stuffed bear?"

It was a strange request, but in the end, Chad said yes. He always said yes when it came to Sonny Munroe.

Maybe his girlfriend was great at 'Sonny-ing things up', but he would never be accused of following in her footsteps. He was going to do everything within his power to make sure Sonny was his forever-

-Even if he did have to buy her random stuffed bears.

Author's Note: So, if you feel like leaving me a review (please do!), here are a few questions for you:

1. Did you enjoy this chapter?

2. What did you think of my bear story?

3. Have YOU ever made an unbreakable promise?


	40. Episode 39: Dakota's Revenge

Author's Note: FIVE REVIEWS! FIVE REVIEWS! That's the most I've gotten for this story in a LONG time! Thank you so much! (PS. Thanks for letting me know bears don't attack people in Hollywood. Maybe that bear was just...really hungry?)

So...Who wants to read a long chapter? You do, of course!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Episode 39:

Dakota's Revenge

**Chad Dylan Cooper Never Gives Two Birthday Presents**

Dakota Condor was not happy.

"You ran over my bike, confessed to your crime, and left my party without ever giving me a real present!"

"Technically, you were the one who left your party," Tawni pointed out.

"That's not the point!" Dakota shouted, causing the tween queen to take cover behind Sonny. "You two better buy me an amazing gift to make up for everything you did or I will have my daddy fire you!"

"Fine," Sonny agreed quickly, nodding along to Dakota's plan. "We'll – We'll buy you whatever you want. Just name it and you've got it!"

The young girl placed a finger on her chin as she mulled over her choices. What could she ask for that was both expensive and super enough to 'wow' her?

"I want to go paintballing."

Sonny and Tawni exchanged looks. "Paintballing?"

"Daddy won't let me go with my friends," Dakota explained, rolling her eyes carelessly. "He thinks we're too young and we'll end up getting hurt. I'm sure he wouldn't have a problem if you guys took me. You could be my body-guards! Whenever someone tries to shoot me, you'll just jump in front of me and take the shot!"

Tawni opened her mouth – probably to say there was no way she would protect anyone if it meant she'd get splattered with paint – and Sonny, two steps ahead of co-star, covered the blonde's mouth.

"Of course we'll take you paintballing, Dakota!" she said. "Does tonight work for you?"

"We should wait until tomorrow," Dakota insisted. "Daddy's throwing me a special dinner tonight to celebrate my not being grounded anymore."

"Then tomorrow it is!" Sonny promised.

As soon as Dakota was out of sight, Tawni slapped her friends' shoulder.

"Why did you tell her we'd take her paintballing? I don't paintball!" She held up her perfectly manicured fingers. "Do you really think I would risk damaging these babies?"

"It was either paintballing or getting fired!" Sonny reminded the other girl. "Besides, it won't be so bad…We'll invite Nico, Grady, and Zora. It'll be a So Random Game Night!"

Tawni still didn't look thrilled about the idea, but at least she stopped complaining as she flopped onto the Prop House's couch. Her bottom lip quivered slightly as she thought about the impending Game Night.

"You know, if the rest of us have to participate in the stupid game, Chad should suffer, too," she suggested. "He deserves to be punished after that stunt he pulled on Grady."

Now she had Sonny's attention. She thought her boyfriend and her cast mates had been getting along – not like best friends, but not trying to kill each other, either. How come she hadn't heard about any 'stunts'?

"Uh-oh," she sighed, joining Tawni on the couch. "What did Chad do this time?"

"He pretended to be a dragon seller. I guess he was online using some strange username and he convinced Grady he was selling real dragons." When she noticed Sonny's blank stare, Tawni shrugged. "Don't ask me; that's all Nico said. I don't talk to dragon sellers online. I only use the internet to look up articles about me!"

Between spending her days with Tawni and her nights with Chad, it was amazing neither of their personality traits had rubbed off on Sonny yet. She had never met anyone quite as conceited as the two blondes.

* * *

Twenty-four hours later, Sonny, Tawni, Nico, and Grady (Zora rebuffed the offer as soon as she found out who was tagging along) stood in the studio's parking lot. Dakota was nearby – much too close for comfort – waiting in the front seat of the car they planned on driving to the paintballing arena. She was honking the horn impatiently.

"Come on, Munroe!" she shouted, the beeping muffling her voice. "I have a nine o'clock curfew!"

"Sonny," Nico whispered, shuffling closer to his cast mate. "She's getting angry!"

"Shh!" Sonny hissed, waving off Nico's concern. "I'm trying to trick Chad into coming with us!"

"Nice try, Sonshine, but I heard that," Chad pointed out. "Look, go out with your friends and Dakota, have some fun, and I'll see you tomorrow morning, alright?"

Sonny grimaced at her cell phone even though she knew her boyfriend couldn't see her. Darn…Why did she let the word 'trick' slip out? Now she didn't stand a chance of dragging Chad along!

From the window in his dressing room, Chad could see everything: Dakota waiting in the vehicle, her fist pounding against the wheel every two seconds. Three Randoms eyeing the young girl wearily. And last but not least, Sonny Munroe standing away from the rest of the group, her expressions growing more frantic the longer she stayed on the line.

"This isn't my fault," Chad pointed out, deciding maybe he was being a little too tough on his favorite girl. "I already gave Dakota a birthday present, remember? It's not my fault you procrastinated until the last minute."

"Don't come for Dakota's sake," Sonny pleaded. "Come for mine."

"I would come, Sonny, but I can't. I already made other plans."

"What other plans? When I asked you at lunch if you had anything planned for tonight, you said you were free."

"Well, something came up between lunchtime and now."

Chad watched as Sonny folded her arms over her chest stubbornly. "You're lying."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are. The only thing you're doing tonight is sitting around delighting in the fact that I'm spending the night with Dakota while you get to do nothing!"

The argument was going nowhere. Sonny was right; Chad didn't have any plans for the evening. But girlfriend or no girlfriend, he was not spending his time paintballing with Dakota Condor, AKA the brattiest kid he knew!

"Let's compromise," Chad offered. "You can take Dakota out tonight and I'll take her next time she wants to go somewhere!"

"How about you stop whining and come outside?" Sonny objected. "Come on, Cooper…You owe this to me."

"_I _owe this to _you_?" Chad echoed. "No, no. I'm pretty sure we're even now, Sonny. You were mad at me for the whole Chaz thing, but I took you mountain-climbing. I don't owe you anything."

"You messed with Grady."

Chad didn't see what her point was. "So?"

"So, you're not supposed to be messing about with my cast!" Sonny placed a hand on her forehead. Man…sometimes talking to Chad could really give a girl a headache. "You guys are supposed to be friends now, right? You need to come paintballing with us so Grady can forgive you."

"I'm sure Grady isn't that upset-,"

At this point, the bigger blonde stole Sonny's phone.

"You lied to me, Chad!" he yelled, causing Chad to pull his own phone from his ear. "I thought I was going to get a dragon! I just – I don't know how I'm ever going to trust you again."

Chad groaned. He hated to admit it, but the Randoms – the Randoms of all people – had him trapped.

"He'll forgive me if I go paintballing?" he inquired, watching as a depressed Grady handed Sonny back her phone.

"It's the only fair thing to do," Sonny replied. "You made him suffer when he found out he wasn't really getting a dragon. You can suffer by hanging out with Dakota."

"I heard that!" an angry girl exclaimed in the background.

"Fine," Chad relented, reaching for his keys. "But Dakota is not riding with me!"

"Of course she isn't," Sonny agreed. "Actually, since our car only seats five, you'll have to drive separately, but Tawni has directions and you don't, so…"

"Please don't tell me I'm taking Nico and Grady."

"Not even close." Chad could almost feel Sonny's smile radiating through the line. "You're taking me."

* * *

The ride to the paintball arena wasn't nearly as bad as Chad thought it would be when he originally agreed to tag along. He thought Sonny would go with her cast mates. When she climbed into his car though, motioning for Tawni to head out first with the rest of the Randoms and Dakota-

-Well, let's just say that two of the five actors enjoyed their ride a lot more than anyone else did.

Now that they had reached their destination, things weren't quite so peachy. Everyone was slipping on their equipment, some people complaining more than others. Tawni Hart was one of the complainers.

"I am not wearing _that_!" she protested when an employee tried handing her a black padded vest. "It's hideous!"

Several feet away, Nico and Grady were already dressed and ready to go. They were wearing the proper attire: the same black vest Tawni rejected, elbow pads, knee pads, gloves, and masks that protected their eyes, mouths, ears, and noses. They used their guns as light-sabers, partaking in their own private battle.

Dakota slipped on her protective gear, clueless of Sonny's watchful eyes. Sonny was beginning to understand why Mr. Condor didn't want his daughter paintballing with her friends. If so much protective gear needed to be worn, there was no way paintballing could be considered a 'safe' sport. What would Mr. Condor do if his daughter returned injured? Would he fire the entire So Random cast?

Chad watched the scene unfolding before him, shaking his head in dismay. How had he gotten roped into this?

"I feel so powerful!" Dakota said as an employee placed a gun in her hands. She pointed at everyone one by one, laughing gleefully as she pretended to shoot them. "Boom, boom, boom, boom! This is so much fun!"

"Be careful with that!" Sonny cried, running forward as Nico and Grady ducked for cover. "That's a real gun, Dakota!"

"Don't tell me what to do!"

Once everyone was finally dressed (even Tawni eventually put her vest on), the Randoms, Chad, and Dakota were led outside by three workers. Sonny lingered behind, grabbing Chad's hand as they brought up the rear.

"Chad…Are you okay?" she asked slowly.

"I'm fine," Chad replied in a high-pitched voice. He cleared his throat. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I was just curious." Sonny lifted their linked hands. "And your hand is almost too sweaty to hold."

He tore his hand out of her grasp, wiping it off on his pants.

"Okay, so maybe I'm not alright," he admitted. "It's just…What if I get hurt tonight? What if someone shoots me and I get injured so badly I can't act?"

Sonny patted his vest encouragingly. "I'm pretty sure that's what this thing is for."

"What if it doesn't work? What if I get hit so hard the vest breaks, or-,"

"Chad." She stopped walking, forcing her boyfriend to stop beside her. "Read my lips: You…Are…Going…To be…Just…Fine."

"Hmm," Chad murmured, pulling Sonny as close to him as the poufy vests allowed. "I'd rather do something else with your lips than read them."

"It was an expression," Sonny explained. She was thankful for her mask. She knew her cheeks were turning into a fiery shade of red. "My lips are covered anyway."

"That's an easy problem to fix."

His fingers sent chills down her spine as Chad removed her mask. He brushed against her bare skin softly, his hand tracing a pattern from her hairline to the bottom of her chin. Slowly, he started to take off his mask-

"Sonny!" three voices called out at once.

The actress slipped her headgear back on, hiding any evidence of the blush Chad had left behind. Then, too embarrassed to even face her boyfriend again, she took off running toward the rest of the group.

"What's up?" she asked once she rejoined everyone.

"Tell those two," Tawni said, looping her arm through Sonny's, "That you're on my team!"

"I don't think so," Nico argued, reaching for the arm that Tawni wasn't clutching. "You're going to play with me and G, aren't you, Sonny?"

"I don't care whose team I'm on," Dakota jumped in. "I just want to get this game started before we waste all our time!"

"There's a fairly easy way to decide on teams," one of the employees chirped. "A lot of people play boys against girls."

"You're kidding me, right?" Chad asked, walking up just in time to hear the end of the conversation. "I don't want to be on Nico and Grady's team."

"I think it's a great idea!" Tawni disagreed, clutching to Sonny tighter than ever.

Chad glanced at his girlfriend, motioning for her to go ahead and decide. The only reason he was standing in the middle of a paintball arena was for her sake. It was up to her if she wanted to be teammates or rivals.

"Maybe we should just do it," she mediated. "I don't know how else we're going to choose teams fairly…"

"Good choice," the employee said, nodding along with Sonny's decision. "Now, I just need to cover a few rules before you begin playing. This particular version of paintball is going to be one huge game of Capture the Flag. What that means is that each team will have two flags – boys green and girls red. Whichever team captures both of the other team's flags first wins the game. If you are hit – meaning the paintball must break and leave a mark the size of a quarter or larger – you are eliminated and must leave the playing field at once. If you try to start a fist-fight with someone or you deliberately shoot them in dangerous places, you will be thrown off the field. Are there any questions?"

The group of six shook their heads.

"Good." This time, the employee smiled at the girls. "Ladies, your base is located to my left. Gentlemen, yours is to the right. Head to your battle stations and let's get this game started!"

Dakota stuck out her tongue before she took off running toward her base. Tawni followed her boss's daughter, but not without sticking her nose in the air cockily, clearly telling the boys that they had no chance of winning. Nico and Grady, noticing Tawni's gesture, were already plotting battle plans as they walked away.

Sonny and Chad were the only two who refused to move.

"Sorry I made you come tonight," Sonny apologized. "I didn't know the teams would turn out like this. I was really looking forward to spending time together."

"We're still spending time together," Chad reassured her. "This might be the only date we ever go on where I'm allowed to shoot you."

"_You're _allowed to shoot _me_?" She held her gun up indignantly. "I have a weapon too, Cooper."

"That's so cute, Sonny."

"What's cute?"

"The fact that you think you'll actually be able to hit me!"

_'Ohh,'_ Sonny thought, feeling the anger as it surged through her veins. _'You're going down, Chad Dylan Cooper! You are going down!'_

As the peppy brunette joined her teammates, there was no doubt in her mind who was winning the game.

* * *

The arena was quiet. Too quiet.

Chad, Nico, and Grady stood guard around their flags, all three of them too afraid to move. What would happen if they let the flags out of their sight for even two seconds? Surely the girls would swoop in and steal them!

"Hey, Nico?" Grady whispered, his voice carrying in the silence of the field.

"What is it, G?" Nico replied. "Have you spotted the enemy?"

"No…I'm just bored."

Grady had a point. The three boys had been standing in the same spot for at least five minutes. For what was supposed to be an intense game of Capture the Flag, there wasn't a lot going on.

"This," Chad stated, lowering his gun for the first time since the game began, "Is stupid. We can't just stand here all night! How are we going to capture the girls' flags if we never move?"

"Well, what do you suggest we do?" Nico demanded. "If we leave our flags unguarded, the girls will find them and win!"

Chad hadn't thought about that. While standing around was boring and counterproductive, leaving the flags wasn't a good idea either. There had to be some kind of medium, something they could do besides stand in one spot but keep an eye on the flags at the same time…

"I've got it!" The dramatic actor snapped his fingers excitedly. "One of us can stay with the flags while the other two check out the rest of the arena!"

"I like that idea!" Grady shouted, swinging an arm around both his teammates. "So, who's going to stay behind and miss out on all the action?!"

His only answer was two pointed glares.

"Oh…I'm staying here, aren't I?"

"It's nothing personal, G," Nico replied. "It's just…You're a little too loud when it comes to sneaking."

"You don't have to make excuses," Grady said, plopping down on the ground. "Go on and have fun. Don't forget to shoot someone for me!"

Turning their backs on the larger blonde, Chad and Nico started stalking through the woods, staying as light on their feet as possible. It was time to start hunting down a few clueless ladies!

* * *

"I will!" Tawni volunteered only too willingly. "I'll stay here and guard the flags!"

"Are you sure, Tawn?" Sonny asked indecisively. "Maybe Dakota should be the one who stays behind…"

Sonny was caught between a rock and a hard place. Dakota would be safer guarding the flags than she would be wandering straight into battle – until the boys finally found her and started shooting anyway. What should she do? Lead the little girl deeper into the arena where she could keep an eye on her or leave her behind?

"No way," Dakota protested. "I am not staying behind. I came here to shoot people and shooting people is what I'm going to do!"

"See?" Tawni said, nodding with every word the smaller girl let out of her mouth. "She wants to go, Sonny! Don't deny her happiness!"

"Fine," Sonny gave in. "You have to stay behind me though, Dakota, and you have to do whatever I tell you to-,"

She was too late; Dakota was already plunging into the deep unknown, her gun held at the ready. Sonny sprinted after her quickly. Mr. Condor would never let her live it down if anything happened to his daughter!

* * *

The sun was setting and the forest terrain was becoming harder to see. Chad and Nico stuck with each other, only speaking when necessary. They bolted from one tree to the next, never staying in an open area for long. The last thing they wanted was one of the girls to spot their shadows and begin shooting.

"Don't you think it's weird?" Nico finally asked, removing his mask long enough to wipe a bead of sweat off his face.

"Don't I think what's weird?" Chad wanted to know, his eyes searching the night carefully. No one was going to catch Chad Dylan Cooper off-guard!

"That we haven't spotted the girls yet. I mean, we've been at this for at least forty-five minutes, and so far-,"

That was when they heard it: a loud scream echoing around them.

"Chad! Chad, I need your help!"

The blonde actor recognized that voice anywhere: Sonny!

"Whoa!" Nico exclaimed, grabbing the back of Chad's shirt, keeping him from charging forward. "Where do you think you're going?"

"That was Sonny," he explained, trying to shake off the scrawny boy's hold. "She sounds like she's in trouble."

"What makes you think it isn't some kind of trick?"

"Sonny wouldn't lie about being hurt-,"

"Really, Chad? Would Sonny really not lie? See, I remember this one time when she pretended to hurt her ankle just to win a game of Musical Chairs."

Chad froze. He'd almost forgotten about that incident – it happened such a long time ago! – But now that Nico had reminded him, he realized the Random was right. Sonny did pretend to injure herself just to win a game before. Why wouldn't she try the same thing again?

_'But what if it's not a trick?' _a tiny voice in the back of his head spoke up. _'What if Sonny really is in trouble?'_

"Chad!" This time, it almost sounded like she was crying. "Oh my gosh…It hurts _so_ much!"

That was all it took to get Chad's feet moving.

"Cooper-,"

"What if she is hurt?" Chad shot back, turning to face Nico. "Neither of us will ever forgive ourselves if we leave her out there to suffer."

Shaking his head, Nico loaded his gun. "Fine…But I'm going to be ready to attack just in case!"

It didn't take the boys long to spot Sonny. She wasn't far away – only a few yards really – and she was sitting on the ground, her hands wrapped around her ankle. Her mask was off and even in the dark, it was impossible to miss the tear-streaks on her cheeks.

"Chad!" she cried out in relief as her boyfriend knelt beside her. "I – I was running and I tripped over a root or something and I – I-." She wrapped her arms around Chad's neck. "I'm in so much pain!"

"It's okay, Sonshine," he whispered, patting her shoulder gently. "You're going to be just fine."

The blonde stared at Nico, silently begging him for help. The Random shrugged helplessly. He knew nothing about healing injuries.

* * *

Grady wasn't hard to find. All Dakota had to do was follow the sound of his voice – which was quite easy considering he was singing.

"Chad, Chad, Chaddy Chad Chad," the husky boy sang from his place on the ground. "Chad, Chad, Chaddy Chad Chad!"

He had no idea there was someone lurking in the bushes behind him. Dakota smiled; this was almost _too_ easy.

Without any warning, the girl jumped out from behind, causing Grady to fall over backward. He didn't even have time to right himself; Dakota shot him, leaving at least three quarter-sized marks on his vest.

"Ha!" she exclaimed, pointing at the Random as she laughed gleefully. "You've been eliminated!"

"Zora was right!" Grady accused. "You are evil!"

"Thank you!"

Grady couldn't do anything as Dakota picked up both of his flags. He was out of the game. There was nothing he could do to stop her.

Unless…

"Nico!" he bellowed, cupping his hands around his lips. "Chad! Our flags have been captured!"

Dakota ran as fast as she could, keeping the flags tucked into the crook of her elbow. She just had to make it over the boundary line before the other boys spotted her. As long as she crossed the line first, her team would win.

Hopefully, Sonny could distract Chad and Nico long enough for her short legs to make it back to her base.

* * *

"Nico! Chad! Our flags have been captured!"

Sonny knew she didn't have much time. Chad and Nico weren't stupid; they were going to realize that she wasn't really hurt and everything had been a diversion for Dakota. She needed to do something, and fast…

Nico, realizing his mistake in trusting his cast mate, pulled out his gun. Sonny was faster. She shot him before he had time to shoot her.

"Chad!" Nico snapped as Sonny hopped to her feet, both ankles seemingly fine as she ran away from the boys. "You need to go after her! You need to shoot whoever has our flags and steal theirs before it's too late!"

"Just leave everything to me!" Chad promised. "Chad Dylan Cooper isn't going to lose to a bunch of girls!"

He took off in the same direction as Sonny.

Sonny could hear Chad following her. His footsteps sounded close – he couldn't be far behind – and she wondered what she should do. She could lead Chad back to her base where she and Tawni could attack him two against one…but what if Dakota hadn't crossed over into the safe zone yet? Was Sonny leading her team into defeat with every step she took that brought her closer to her base?

"Why aren't you shooting me?" she called over her shoulder. "I could be out of the game right now, you know."

"Where's the fun in that?" Chad scoffed. "Then my only two opponents are the tween queen and the monster known as Dakota. Winning would be too easy!"

If she wasn't so busy plotting her next move, Sonny would have taken delight in the fact that her boyfriend considered her a worthy adversary.

It was too late to change her direction now. Sonny could see her flags and Tawni standing between them, studying her reflection in a compact mirror. Dakota was nowhere in sight.

"Tawni!" Sonny shouted. "Take cover before-,"

"Hey, Tawni!" Chad yelled at the same time, his deeper voice overpowering Sonny's. "Has anyone told you how pretty you look tonight?"

"You really think I look pretty?" Tawni gushed, striking a pose. "I thought this vest would ruin my outfit – Hey!"

Tawni Hart, now with a huge orange splatter of paint on her chest, was hit.

Finding a sudden burst of energy, Sonny took Tawni's spot between the flags. Chad stared at her in surprise. He hadn't been expecting to face his girlfriend head-on.

"Come on, Sonny. Be a good little girl and step aside," he ordered, waiting for her to move. He raised his gun so it was level with his chest. "I'll shoot if I need to."

"Go ahead," Sonny threatened, raising her gun as well. "Make my day!"

Chad could've shot her – he really would have too – if Dakota hadn't chose that moment to come running up.

"Sonny, Tawni, I have the flags-,"

She stopped dead in her tracks. Chad Dylan Cooper's gun was pointed in her direction. Her mouth fell open in terror.

"No!" Sonny cried, shaking her head furiously. "Don't shoot her, Chad!"

Her shout distracted him. As he turned to figure out why Sonny was throwing a cow, his finger accidently pulled the trigger.

Dakota took the hit, fell to the ground, and laid completely still.

"Chad!" Tawni proclaimed. "You killed Dakota Condor!"

* * *

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you looked at it), Dakota didn't die. She did, however, claim that her arm was broken.

"You just wait!" she complained as the Randoms took her to the car, her paintball gear already stripped away. "You're all going to be fired as soon as daddy hears about this! This was the worst birthday present ever!"

"Well," Tawni said as Grady joined the loud girl in the backseat. "It looks like Dakota's ready to head home. Did you want to ride with us, Sonny?"

Sonny took one look at the car – Grady and Nico were already covering their ears as Dakota droned on and on – before shaking her head.

"No, thanks. I'll just have Chad drop me off at home," she said. "Um…Have fun explaining those injuries to Mr. Condor."

Tawni grimaced. She really, really didn't want to see her boss when she hadn't done anything wrong. Returning his daughter to him with a broken arm though…Ugh. She was pretty much asking for him to fire her.

"Blame everything on me," Sonny sighed. "I was the one who agreed to bring Dakota here, not you or Grady or Nico. Tell Mr. Condor it's my fault."

"Great!" Tawni agreed, now much happier than she had been two seconds beforehand. "We'll be sure to give him your message!"

"I'm sure you will."

Tawni took her place behind the wheel and with that, the Randoms and Dakota were gone. Sonny groaned. What was Mr. Condor going to do to her? She wondered if quitting So Random would look better on her resume than getting fired. At least she would stand a chance of getting another acting job if she quit, right?

Chad spotted his girlfriend standing alone in the deserted parking lot. The paintball arena was empty – apparently there weren't a lot of customers who wanted to play in the middle of the night. However, the place was open for another fifteen minutes…

A pair of encompassing arms wrapped around her waist. Sonny didn't object; she knew who they belonged to. Instead, she pressed against the man standing behind her, nuzzling her nose in his neck.

"Everyone left," she explained softly. "It's just you and me, Chad."

"I know what we could do with our time." His lips lingered at her ear. She shivered as his warm breath tickled her. "Do you know what I have in mind, Sonny?"

"Oh, I believe I know exactly what you're thinking, Mr. Cooper."

She turned around slightly, just enough that she could meet his blue eyes. It was impossible not to notice how much the one sparkled in the moonlight. Slowly, Chad started to lean in-

And that was when both teens ran, racing each other to the arena.

* * *

It was sudden-death. With Dakota's injury, no one won the game of Capture the Flag. Now, with only ten minutes left before the employees could force them to leave, Sonny and Chad were back on the arena. This time, they weren't going after flags; they were stalking each other. Whoever shot the other first would officially be declared the winner.

Sonny waited behind a tree, holding her breath as she listened for any signs of Chad. She wasn't going to let him have the element of surprise. If anything, she would be the one to surprise him-

"Hiya, Sonny!"

She stumbled at the sound of his voice. She shot aimlessly into the air, missing her boyfriend by miles. He smirked smugly.

"Maybe I should have shot you earlier when I had a chance," he said. "It doesn't look like you're very good when it comes to shooting."

"I meant to miss you," Sonny lied. "Next time, you won't be so lucky."

They raised their guns at the same time, each pointed at the other.

"Sonny, Sonny, Sonny…I don't want to hurt you, but you're not giving me any other choice."

"Go ahead and shoot me then! Or are you too chicken to hit a girl?"

Chad clicked his tongue in disdain. "I already took out both your teammates. What makes you think I'm afraid to hit you?"

"I don't know. It sounds like you're a lot of talk with no action!"

"Oh, I have action, baby! You're going down in three…"

"No, you're going doing in three…"

"Two…"

"Two…"

"One…"

"One…"

They locked eyes for a short period of time. They were both asking the same question of each other: are you really going to shoot me?

"Put down the gun, Sonny," Chad ordered, recognizing the defeat in her gaze. "We both know you're not going to do anything to me."

"I'll put down my gun," Sonny agreed. "But not until after you put yours down."

The guns stayed exactly where they were. Sonny and Chad never took their eyes off the other-

-But the shots rang out anyway.

There was a ping of pain every time one of the balls connected with her body, but Sonny found herself laughing instead of crying out. If Chad was any indication of how she appeared, they both looked like paint-covered idiots.

"Enough!" Sonny called an end to the fight after at least a minute of repeated shootings. "I can't – I can't take it anymore…I need to laugh!"

She collapsed, clutching at her sides as she laughed her head off. Chad sunk down next to her and laughed as well, although if he was laughing about the situation or at his girlfriend, Sonny had no idea.

Sonny was too busy giggling to pay attention to what Chad was doing. When he pushed on her shoulder, she obediently rolled onto her back. He sat on her stomach, pinning her to the ground.

"Hey!" one of the many employees shouted. "It's closing time! You two need to vacate the area!"

The young couple was too caught up in each other to pay the stranger any attention.

"Thanks for tricking me into coming paintballing with you tonight."

"Thanks for letting me trick you into coming paintballing with me tonight."

There were butterflies flapping their wings in Sonny's stomach. Chad had taken off his mask and she could see something on his face, something she'd only seen in movies:

Chad Dylan Cooper was staring at her as though he was a love-sick puppy.

His fingers were nimble as he removed her mask. He needed to see her face more than he had ever needed anything. Her big brown eyes, her beautiful smile…There was nothing in the world that could compare with Sonny's smile. Nothing.

"Chad, I-,"

"I love you too, Sonny Munroe."

Sonny's face had never held a bigger grin.

Well, at least the actress could say one good thing about Dakota's birthday: at least she'd found her new favorite sport.

Author's Note:

1. I have never been paintballing, so I'm sorry if I got some of the details wrong. Forgive me?

2. THIS IS THE LONGEST CHAPTER I'VE WRITTEN IN A WHILE! Yay!

3. Did YOU enjoy this update?

4. What are you doing to celebrate Valentine's Day?

Please leave me a review. I LOVE hearing from you!


	41. Episode 40: Sonny With a Kiss

Author's Note: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! At this rate, I have no doubt that you guys can boost me up to 500 by the end of season 2. I believe in you!

This chapter begins on the same day the episode ends. For any of you who don't remember how the episode ended, it was right after Sonny and Chad kissed.

Just so no one gets confused: this chapter is dealing with the whole ordeal where Sonny and Chad decided to be 'just friends' before they kissed. I - along with some other SWAC fans, felt confused as to whether or not they were really broken up or if the kiss meant they were back together. Well...I hope this chapter will help explain what really happened.

Disclaimer: I do not own SWAC OR the fortunes you'll read later

Episode 40:

Sonny with a Kiss

**Chad Dylan Cooper Decides When He Will Kiss His Girlfriend**

_"Channy may not have a spark…but Sonny and Chad sure do."_

That phrase, those idiotic words Chad had spoken less than ten hours ago, were still stumbling through his brain when he tried crawling into bed. How was he supposed to sleep when he had no idea whether or not Sonny was still his girlfriend?

Actually, his words weren't the only one leaving him conflicted. What Sonny said as well, about the two of them just being friends because it was less complicated, also made Chad question their relationship status. He agreed to Sonny's decision – not because he wanted to, but because he thought it was what she wanted – but then, five seconds later, she hugged and kissed him. Why did she kiss him if she just wanted to be friends?

If Sonny didn't want to be friends but she didn't want to be Channy either, then what did she want?

If Chad could have things his way, he would get back together in a heartbeat. His feelings for the comedy actress were stronger than any he'd ever felt for another girl. She was pretty and nice and sweet and talented and loud and annoying and had pretty hair and when he kissed her…

Chad had been thinking about kissing Sonny for nearly two years and now that the moment had finally arrived…

He could remember everything perfectly: The way Sonny smiled when he asked her if friends were allowed to hug. How she rambled on about hugging the Randoms until he motioned her to come closer, which she complied with instantly. His happiness while holding the girl in his arms and how whole he felt – and yet, he knew something was missing. That moment of fear and excitement rolled into one when the hug was supposed to be over but neither teen let the other go. He knew what was coming next but was still taken by surprise when their lips actually met.

Back in the day, before Chad allowed himself to admit that he was falling for Sonny, he had kissed a lot of girls. Some kisses were good and others were simply publicity stunts.

None of them compared to the one he shared with Sonny.

Yes, Chad had finally gotten his kiss…but now what? Would that be the only kiss he ever gave her or would he get another chance? Now that she was so freaked out by 'Channy', would she let her fear rule the rest of her life, including the future of her relationship with Chad?

There was only one way to find out exactly what Sonny wanted: He needed to speak to her.

Glancing at his clock, Chad saw that it was a little after midnight. He would text Sonny instead of call her. That way, she could sleep through the text if she wanted to and decide for herself whether or not she wanted to have an actual conversation.

**Good morning, Sonshine**_,_ Chad typed. **Are you still awake?**

To his surprise, her answering text came within the next two minutes.

_You should be the one sleeping, Cooper. You're the one who needs all the beauty sleep he can get!_

**It's hard to sleep when you have no idea whether or not your girlfriend is still your girlfriend.**

_Do you want to come over? I'd rather talk about it in person._

**Thanks, but no thanks. I'd rather not give your mom a reason to kill me.**

_My mom isn't even here. She went to Wisconsin for a few days._

That was all it took for Chad to fumble around in the dark, trying to find a clean shirt. Sonny Munroe was inviting him over.

In the middle of the night.

To an apartment with no parental supervision.

Did she really expect him to turn down an offer like that?

* * *

"So." Sonny ran her fingers through her hair. "The question is, are we 'just friends' or are we something more than 'just friends'."

"Right," Chad confirmed, his foot tapping against the floor. "That's the question…Do we know the answer?"

There was something…eerie…about being in Sonny's apartment, just chilling on the couch in the early hours of the morning. For one thing, Chad almost expected Connie to come barreling down the hallway at any moment, where she would proceed to scream at Chad for sneaking into her house and ground Sonny for allowing such a crime to occur. Even though he knew that wasn't going to happen, he couldn't help from staring down the hall every few seconds.

Sonny was sitting as far from Chad as the couch allowed, her feet folded up beneath her and covered by her blue robe. She refused to meet his gaze as she brought a strand of hair to her mouth, chewing on it furiously.

All the pressure from earlier in day was back. Now that a kiss had happened, Sonny's mind was whirling. When was she supposed to kiss Chad again? How soon was too soon? Should she kiss him at all or wait for him to make the first move? Why had he been so willing to rush over in the middle of the night? Was he expecting something? Would she be willing to go as far as he wanted her to go?

"Maybe I should leave," Chad offered. "We can talk things over tomorrow when we're both more awake."

"No," Sonny protested, shaking her head back and forth stubbornly. "If we push everything back until tomorrow, we won't hesitate to prolong it even more. We should…We should talk now."

Chad nodded. There was a long pause before he or Sonny spoke again.

"Sonny." He said her name slowly, almost wistfully. Reaching across the couch, he took her hand. "Do you still care about me?"

His question took the actress by surprise. She blinked. The confusion was evident in her big brown eyes.

"Of course I still care about you, Chad."

"Do you still care about me enough to date me?"

This time, instead of answering him right away, Sonny resumed chewing on her hair. Chad felt his bravado leave as he realized what she was trying to tell him: yes, she cared about him – but only as a friend. She no longer wanted to be his girlfriend.

"Oh…I guess I really should leave."

"Wait!" Sonny grabbed his arm, keeping the actor from standing. "It's not that I care about you any less than I did before today. It's just…If we keep dating, we're still going to be Channy."

"So?" Chad didn't understand the problem.

"If we're Channy, the pressure is never going to go away! Interviewers, the press, our fans…They're going to want us to do things we may or may not be ready for. Our first kiss was just the beginning, Chad. No one is going to be happy unless Channy does exactly what everyone wants Channy to do."

"What about your happiness, Sonny?" Chad demanded. "Don't you deserve to be happy, too?"

She stared at her hands, which were folded neatly in her lap. "I guess so…"

Chad scooted closer to the Random, cupping her chin in his palm, forcing her to look at him. She sniffled loudly.

"Tell me the truth," he ordered firmly. "Are you, Allison whatever-the-heck-your-middle-name-is Munroe, going to be happy if we break up for good?"

Her answer was almost instant: "No."

"Then forget about our fans, the press, and the interviewers. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks about us. All that matters is what we think about each other."

Sonny wanted to believe him. She wanted Chad's words to be true so she could throw herself into his arms and spend the rest of her life there. Unfortunately, life didn't always work out the way she wanted it to.

"You really think it's going to be that easy?" she asked. "You think we'll be able to ignore everyone and only do what we want to do?"

"That's exactly what I think," Chad nodded swiftly.

"I wasn't the only one who over-reacted about the kiss. As soon as the pressure was on, you started freaking out too, Chad. How can you be absolutely certain that it won't happen again? How can you sit there and promise me that you're not going to succumb next time?"

"I can promise it's not going to happen again because I care about you, Sonny!"

No one stopped Chad from climbing to his feet this time. He turned his back to the couch as he paced toward the door, trying to keep his hands from balling into fists. He couldn't help it; he was angry. Every time they broke up, it was always because of something Chad did. He spit water on their first date. He sent Chaz instead of hanging out with Sonny himself. Everything was always his fault.

Chad was always the one running after Sonny, trying to win her back. She never chased after him. Maybe…maybe she didn't want this as much as he did.

"You're right, Sonshine," he consented, refusing to face her. "We are better off as 'just friends'."

"Chad," Sonny said quickly. "I never said that-,"

"I get it, Sonny." Finally, he turned around. "I get it. Being with me is too stressful. It's not a healthy relationship for either of us."

Every word out of his mouth was a lie. Chad didn't believe their relationship was too stressful or unhealthy – but he could tell by Sonny's reluctance to get back together that she thought it was. Really, there was only one option.

Realizing what Chad was about to do, Sonny leapt off the couch. She rushed to Chad and tried to hug him. His arms stopped her from getting within two feet.

"Don't," she pleaded. "Don't do this, Chad. It's a mistake."

"This time, I'm not the one who messed up. You're the one who said you just wanted to be friends. You can't blame me-,"

"You agreed with me!" Sonny was on the brink of tears. She tried unsuccessfully to brush them away only to have new ones form. "You agreed that we should break up, Chad! I thought you would argue or fight for me or _something_, but all you did was shrug and say I was right!"

"What did you expect me to do?" Chad shouted. "I have fought for you, Sonny! You're the one who's always pushing away. You've made it pretty obvious that you don't want me to be your boyfriend."

"I never wanted to break up-,"

"You have a funny way of showing it!"

Sonny tossed her head back, stifling a moan. She knew dating Chad Dylan Cooper wasn't going to be easy, but she never thought it would entail standing around screaming at each other at one o'clock in the morning. This wasn't how a relationship was supposed to work. They'd finally shared their first kiss; they should've been kissing some more instead of arguing!

"All I meant earlier was that being friends would be easy," she explained, doing her best to remain calm. "No, I don't like the pressures of 'Channy'. I don't like the idea of the entire world butting in when it comes to my love life. It's embarrassing, and stupid, and-,"

"You don't have to worry about it anymore," Chad said, turning to the door again. "I'll leave you alone. Consider 'Channy' officially over."

She grabbed his arm, forcing him to face her.

"I don't care if Channy ends," she said earnestly. "But I'm not ready to say goodbye to Chad and Sonny."

"And why don't you think you're ready to say goodbye?" Chad shot back. "What could possibly make you decide to stay with me when you hate the social media so much?"

"Well, this is a huge part of my decision."

Placing her hand on the back of his neck, Sonny pulled gently, bringing Chad's face to hers. Without any hesitation, without giving Chad a chance to prepare, she pressed their lips together forcefully.

At first, Chad tried ending the kiss. They were in the middle of an argument – Sonny wasn't allowed to just kiss him when he was mad at her! – but it didn't take a lot of convincing for him to change his mind. Whenever he tried pulling away, Sonny clung to him even tighter, her fingers twisting into his hair as she brought their bodies closer. Chad's hands cupped her cheeks as the kiss lingered.

This kiss was a lot different than their first. It wasn't short or gentle or sweet. Instead, it was full of fury – fury at each other. Fury at their stupid hormones. Fury because they both knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that they were never breaking up.

No matter how annoying fans or interviewers or the press was, Sonny and Chad would stay together through thick and thin.

They had something worth fighting for.

* * *

The Chinese food arrived around three o'clock. Sonny didn't think any restaurant would deliver at that time of night, but as always, Chad knew a guy. A man, someone who looked as though he'd just rolled out of bed, dropped off the food. He didn't smile. He didn't tell Sonny and Chad to enjoy their meal. He simply took their money and left, walking down the hall in a zombie-like fashion.

The young couple brought their meal into Sonny's room, where they ate by candlelight. Conversation came easily now that their tiff was done. They talked about how cool it was that Sonny's mom trusted her enough to let her stay at the apartment alone. They talked about what their cast mates were going to think when they showed up for work after pulling an all-nighter. They even discussed which season of Mackenzie Falls was the best one.

Once the food was gone and a stack of trash and dirty dishes sat on Sonny's floor, the actress leaned against her bed, clutching her stomach.

"That," she stated, nodding to the remnants left behind, "Was way too much for two people!"

"Nonsense!" Chad disagreed, collapsing next to his girlfriend. "It was the perfect amount for us. Ohh, look…We forgot about the fortune cookies!"

"I don't want to think about cookies," Sonny protested, rolling her eyes when Chad threw one that landed on her lap. "I'm too full to eat another bite!"

"Ah, see, that's the good thing about fortune cookies," Chad told her, already tearing the packaging off his. "The important part isn't the cookie; it's the fortune inside."

She watched as Chad broke his cookie in half. He removed the tiny paper and leaned closer to the candle in order to read his fortune.

"'You only need to look to your own reflection for inspiration,"' he read aloud. "'Because you are beautiful.' Aww! How did the cookie company know I'd get this specific cookie?"

Sonny was too tired to tell him off for acting so conceited. She settled for punching his shoulder lightly, laughing all the while.

"I think that's a very good fortune for you," she cooed. "You really are beautiful, Chad."

"Do you know what that answer earns you?"

She smirked; of course she knew what the answer earned her! Her prize was the same thing she'd been getting all night: a kiss.

"You know," Sonny said as she pushed Chad back until he was leaning against her bed, "I'm glad we finally got over that whole 'first kiss' thing."

"So am I," Chad admitted, smiling as Sonny put her head on his chest. "Why do you think we were so nervous about it? We've almost kissed – what, a hundred? A thousand, maybe? – times. Why was our first one so difficult?"

"I don't know," Sonny answered truthfully. "I guess when we tried to kiss before, we were always alone. No one was around to tell us to do it or sing songs about us just sitting in a tree. We wanted to kiss because we wanted to kiss, not because someone else wanted us to. It was private before, a secret we could've kept between us instead of sharing it with the rest of the world. I almost wish we had kissed before we went in for that interview because then we wouldn't have had to admit we'd never done it and maybe none of this 'Channy' stuff ever would've come up. What do you think, Chad?"

When Chad didn't answer her, Sonny lifted her head to see what was distracting him. She shook her head.

Chad Dylan Cooper was asleep.

Knowing she should get some sleep too before waking up for work, Sonny decided she could wait another five minutes. Being careful not to jostle her boyfriend – he looked so cute when he was sleeping! – She tore open her own fortune cookie.

"'When all else seems to fail,"' she whispered, "'Smile for today and just love someone."'

She couldn't have said it better herself.

Author's Note:

1. Did this chapter make sense or was it too confusing?

2. CHANNY FINALLY KISSED! I don't know how many of you noticed, but in this story, Sonny and Chad have NOT kissed. Why? Because I was waiting until they kissed on the show so I could be somewhat right with the details. Yay!

3. If a woodchuck could chuck wood, how much wood would a woodchuck chuck?

4. Review?


	42. Episode 41: Sonny with a Grant

I am soooo sorry about the slow update, guys! I'm starting a new job soon and I had to do online training for it and then my dog got sick (PS. We still don't know what's wrong with him). Don't worry; I have NOT forgotten about this story. I still plan on finishing it! This was just a slower update than usual.

This chapter takes place between the time when Chad got fired from Mackenzie Falls and when he and Grady worked together to get him hired back in.

Disclaimer: I own a sick dog. Nothing from SWAC though.

Episode 41:

Sonny With a Grant

**Chad Dylan Cooper Does What He Wants to Do **

"I'm going to miss you so much!"

Sonny Munroe clung to her boyfriend, hugging him as tightly as she could. The airport was crowded, so crowded in fact that no one took the time to notice the young Hollywood couple bidding each other farewell. It was almost like they were in their own little world, a world that didn't include the noisy and pushy people around them.

"Geez, Sonny," Chad said, trying to save what was left of his dignity. "You're only going to be gone for a week."

"A week is a long time," Sonny reminded him. "We're not going to see each other for seven whole days. I mean, we can call and text, but it's not going to be the same. I don't know how I'm going to last an entire week without you, Chad."

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Chad assured her, twirling a strand of her dark hair around his finger. "Like you said, it's only for a week. I'm all yours the second you come home."

"How are you staying so calm about this? Here I am, blabbering like an idiot, and you're totally cool and collected!"

Chad shrugged modestly. "You're going to Camp Comedy, Sonny. It's not like you're dying."

Rolling her eyes, Sonny began gathering her luggage as her flight was called to start boarding. With her hands full, all she could do was send a half-smile in Chad's direction.

"Well, I guess this is it." She sighed deeply. "I'll see you in a week!"

Chad watched as Sonny walked away. He thought he was ready for this. Sonny had given him plenty of time to prepare for her departure – she'd told him almost a month ago how she planned on spending her vacation from the Studio – and it wasn't like he was one of those guys who got emotional easily. However, seeing Sonny leave, knowing he wouldn't see that bright, smiling face again for seven days…

Sonny was taken by surprise when Chad blocked her path. Before she could ask what he was doing, he wrapped his arms around her, nearly suffocating the actress with the force behind his hug. He kissed her as well, a long, lingering kiss.

"What was that for?" Sonny giggled after he finally pulled away.

"That," Chad replied, "Was my way of telling you I'm going to miss you."

The smile on Sonny's face stretched from ear-to-ear as she climbed on her plane. Chad actually cared that she was leaving!

Knowing that he was going to miss her just as much as she would miss him somehow made Sonny's stomach twist into an uncomfortable knot. Maybe going to Camp Comedy hadn't been such a good idea after all.

* * *

Well, so much for phone calls. Sonny's cell phone couldn't even find a strong enough signal to allow her a five minute conversation with Chad. If they couldn't call each other, then their week apart would really mean seven days without any contact.

Sonny didn't want to admit it, but she missed everything about the studio. She missed Nico, Grady, Tawni, and Zora. She missed performing sketches with them. She missed having someone to talk to about her problems (and yes, she did have a LOT of problems. She'd never gone to camp as a counselor before and she was having a hard time keeping the kids under control).

What she missed more than anything else was Chad. She knew it was stupid – missing some guy who was probably enjoying his week without her, a blissful seven days when he only had to think about Chad and nothing else – but she missed him anyway. Sure, he was pompous and annoying most of the time, but he could be sweet and caring as well. Not to mention how amazing he looked and that ice-cream-melting-on-a-hot-summer's-day feeling she got whenever he kissed her.

Sonny shook her head, trying to chase the thoughts away. She was going to miserable if she sat around, wondering what her boyfriend and cast mates were up to. She needed to concentrate on something else, something that would take her mind off how much she missed everyone at Condor.

Maybe whoever was pounding on her cabin door would bring the distraction she was seeking.

"Miss Sonny, Miss Sonny!" eager voices exclaimed. "Hurry up, Miss Sonny!"

"What's wrong?" Sonny asked after throwing open the door and spotting the group of children waiting outside. "You guys didn't hang somebody's underwear on the flagpole again, did you?"

"You need to come with us right away, Miss Sonny," a talkative redhead said, grabbing the actress's hand. "We have a surprise for you!"

Sonny felt her heart sink. "What kind of surprise are we talking about here? If you're leading me to some kind of ambush where I'm going to have hundreds of pies thrown in my face-,"

"It's nothing like that," a dark haired boy replied, following along as the redhead pulled Sonny out of her cabin.

"This is a good surprise!" a buck-toothed girl added.

"A good surprise, huh?" Sonny repeated doubtfully. "Last time you guys said that, you tried feeding me spaghetti with worms in it."

"There are no worms this time," a petite boy promised. "Or pies."

"Then what, exactly, are you guys planning on surprising me with?"

The redhead giggled and clung to Sonny's hand tighter than ever. "You'll just have to wait and see, Miss Sonny!"

The children continued dragging Sonny along for several minutes, their giggles growing more secretive the farther they walked. Sonny felt nervous. With these kids, the 'surprise' could go either way. It might be something sweet – or it could be something horrible.

Once they'd been travelling for at least ten minutes, the redhead finally stopped. She smirked up at her counselor.

"Close your eyes."

Sonny shook her head. "No way."

"You need to close your eyes or you can't have your surprise!" The redhead stomped her foot impatiently. "Close your eyes, Miss Sonny!"

Unsure if she should comply, Sonny studied the faces surrounding her. They all looked so excited, so happy…How could she deny them their happiness, even if it meant she was about to meet some sort of horrible fate?

"Fine," she agreed, allowing her eyes to close. "But remember this: I know where all of you sleep!"

There were many more giggles as the children led Sonny, each of them grabbing either a hand or an arm to make sure the redhead didn't let their victim fall. Sonny tried to figure out where she was. She didn't have all the hiking paths memorized yet. She thought she could hear water nearby. Uh-oh…Were the kids going to try drowning her?

It seemed like forever before the group finally came to a halt.

"Okay," one of the kids, most likely the redhead, said. "You can open your eyes now, Miss Sonny."

Sonny did as she was told-

-and found her eyes meeting two pools of blue. One pool was the pond that belonged to the campsite. The other was Chad Dylan Cooper's eyes.

Sure enough, Chad was standing only three feet away, his hands shoved into his pockets as he smiled wistfully.

"Hey, Sonshine."

Those two words were all the prompting Sonny needed to throw herself into his arms.

* * *

"I can't believe you're here!" Sonny cried out for what had to be the millionth time. "Although I still don't understand how you're here. Shouldn't you be at the studio filming Mackenzie Falls?"

"About that." Chad shuffled his feet. "Remember that list of demands I gave Mr. Condor?"

"Oh no…You didn't do something stupid, did you?" A weak smile was her only answer. "You did do something!"

"I wouldn't say it was stupid…I just asked for a puppy and a pony."

Sonny raised an eyebrow. "Did Mr. Condor give you the puppy and pony?"

Chad turned his attention to the lake. Now that they were done with their little surprise, the kids were splashing around in the water.

"We should go swimming," the actor suggested.

"No, we shouldn't," Sonny protested. "You should tell me what happened at the studio before I kill you."

"You can't kill me if you can't catch me!"

"What are you talking about? You're standing right next to me. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to catch you-,"

Tearing off his shirt, Chad cut off whatever his girlfriend had been saying by jumping into the water.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sonny demanded the moment Chad's head reappeared. "The counselors aren't allowed to swim! We're supposed to monitor from the shore and make sure no one's in trouble!"

"Well, I guess it's a good thing I'm not a counselor!" Chad turned his back on his girlfriend as he swam toward the kids. "Who wants to play Marco Polo?"

A chorus of, "Me!" and "I do!" rang out as the campers flocked to Chad. Sonny rolled her eyes. If Chad was willing to waste an afternoon playing Marco Polo with a bunch of ten year olds, whatever he was hiding must've been big.

She would find out what his secret was eventually.

* * *

A few hours later, Chad was sitting at an Arts and Crafts table. He, along with his three tablemates, waited patiently for someone to tell them what they were supposed to build. Multi-colored construction paper, macaroni, glue, glitter, yarn, paint, and markers laid on the tabletop, just waiting for someone to begin messing around.

"Your job," Sonny explained, smiling at all the young faces gathered in the room, "Is to construct something that reminds you of comedy. It can be a picture or a painting or a friendship bracelet…I don't really care what it is as long as it makes you smile!"

Chad had the perfect idea for his project. He needed to start with a red piece of construction paper.

Five silent minutes went by before the girl sitting on Chad's left glanced at his work. Her brow wrinkled in confusion.

"What are you making?" she inquired, tapping Chad's shoulder.

"That," the drama actor replied, leaning over his project protectively, "Is none of your business."

"I'm making a friendship bracelet," the girl went on, proudly showing off her pink and purple pieces of yarn. "Do you want to wear the matching bracelet?"

Chad stared at the young girl. "You mean…You want to be my friend?"

"Sure!" she nodded happily. "I like making new friends!"

"I'm making a painting," the boy sitting on Chad's right proclaimed. "Can you guess what it's supposed to be?"

The boy, with his brown curly hair and huge glasses, smiled up at Chad hopefully. Paint covered his body more than the paper in front of him and from the chicken scratch left behind on the page, Chad had no idea what the picture was.

"Um…It's a portrait of Mackenzie from Mackenzie Falls?"

"No," the boy said, shaking his head almost vigorously enough to lose his glasses. "It's a guy taking his pet monkey for a walk!"

"Oh, yeah! Now I see it!" Chad lied smoothly. Nothing in the painting resembled a man or a monkey.

With his work of art almost finished, Chad reached for the macaroni. He was surprised when he found the entire bowl missing.

"Hey!" he shouted out. "Who stole Chad Dylan Cooper's macaroni?"

"Um," the girl beside him said nervously. "I think Timmy did it."

She pointed to the other side of their table. Sure enough, she was right. A hefty boy sat there, chowing down on the macaroni like it was his favorite snack.

"Counselor!" Chad cried, throwing his arm in the air. "Timmy's eating our supplies!"

Sonny arrived less than ten seconds later.

"If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times," she stated firmly, forcing the bowl from Timmy's hands. "Everything placed in front of you is not food!"

"Hold on!" Chad called as Sonny started to walk away, the macaroni still within her grasp. "I need to use that!"

"I can't leave it on your table, Chad. Timmy might try eating it again." Sonny stepped closer to her boyfriend. "What are you making that requires macaroni anyway?"

He proudly held up his project. The red piece of paper he'd started with was now shaped like a heart. A yellow sun set in the middle of the page, surrounded by glitter and the words 'You Are My Sonshine'.

"It's for you," he clarified, as though Sonny hadn't already figured that out.

"Chad," the brunette said. "You – You were supposed to make something that makes you smile."

"I did." Chad locked eyes with his girl. "You make me smile, Sonny."

It took everything she had to keep from blushing.

* * *

"And now," Sonny introduced while holding up a glass, "I'm going to demonstrate how to perform a proper spit-take!"

"Boo!" Chad shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth to make sure the entire room could hear him. "Spit-takes are for losers!"

"Spit-takes are not for losers," Sonny argued. "Not only are they fun, but they're also an important part of becoming a comedian."

She was too late; Chad was already leading the kids in chanting, "Spit-takes are for losers! Spit-takes are for losers!" She would never be able to settle everyone down, especially when Chad was doing everything he could to rile them up in the first place.

"You know what? You're right; we shouldn't discuss spit-takes tonight," she declared. The room broke into thunderous applause. "As a matter of fact, we're not going to talk about comedy at all, even though this is supposed to be a Comedy Workshop. Instead, we're going to have a guest speaker!"

"I hope it's not Efron," Chad whispered to the kids sitting around him.

"Everyone, let's give a big Camp Comedy welcome to Chad Dylan Cooper!"

The expression on Chad's face was priceless. The children, however, seemed to be absolutely thrilled.

"Get on up here, Mister Chad!" Sonny encouraged, motioning for her boyfriend to join her at the front of the room. "Don't be shy!"

"Why are you doing this to me?" Chad asked under his breath only loud enough for Sonny to hear.

"Well, if I can't teach the kids anything worthwhile, I'm sure you can," she replied. "After all, you are Chad Dylan Cooper, the greatest actor of our generation, aren't you?"

Even though Chad knew Sonny was mocking him, he decided to go along with her little game. At least fifty eager eyes were on him, waiting to hear whatever it was he would talk to them about. He smirked; he knew the perfect way to teach the kids a lesson and get back at Sonny, all at the same time!

"How many people in this room want to be comedians?" he asked.

All fifty little hands shot into the air.

"How many of you want to be comedians who star on their own weekly show like m'lady does?" he asked the group, swinging an arm around Sonny's shoulders.

Once again, all fifty hands rose.

"If that's the case, then I have one thing to say to all of you." Chad paused. "Change your dreams now while you still have time. Choose to be a drama actor instead of a comedian! Your show will have more viewers which means a bigger paycheck, you'll get all the cool stuff like good food instead of dog food, and you'll be classified as real actors!"

Sonny watched in horror as the kids cheered and started asking questions about the differences between drama and comedy. She couldn't believe it:

Chad had changed Camp Comedy into Camp Drama in less than one day!

* * *

"Come on, Sonny. I already said I was sorry. What more do you want from me?"

Chad stood outside Sonny's cabin. He would have been inside if it were up to him, but currently the door was locked.

"Go away!" Sonny's muffled voice ordered. "Go hang out with your little drama clones and leave me alone!"

"The little clones are in bed," Chad reminded his girlfriend. "Remember? We told them it was light's out almost half an hour ago. You marched straight to your cabin after that and I've been standing out here since you slammed the door in my face."

"What does the fact that I slammed the door in your face tell you, Chad?"

"That I should talk louder?"

When there was no response, Chad sighed. The sun had already set, casting a dark shadow around the camp. He wondered if leaving would be a better plan than standing around trying to apologize to Sonny for the rest of the night.

It wasn't like he really had anything to apologize for. Sonny was the one who put him on the spot by asking him to speak to the kids. What did she expect him to say? That comedy was the most amazing acting career? It wasn't his fault the kids thought drama sounded like more fun.

Chad fingered the bracelet resting on his wrist. He remembered when Arts and Crafts time was over and his tablemate, Jessica, had given him the cheap piece of jewelry.

"There," she'd said, smiling proudly as she held her arm out next to Chad's. "Now we'll be friends forever!"

"Forever?" Chad had repeated nervously.

"Of course!" Jessica assured him. "That way, when we're really old – like ninety – we can just look at our bracelets and know there's someone out there who cares about us."

Chad was still thinking about Jessica as he knocked on Sonny's door again. This time, she was either letting him in or he would leave. He wasn't going to be the wailing puppy that stood outside crying all night.

"Come on, Sonny," he said, softer this time. "Please let me in."

The forest was silent as Chad waited. He was beginning to think Sonny would ignore him, that he was really going to have to leave without seeing her-

-Finally, the door swung open.

"You got fired, didn't you?"

Chad felt his jaw drop in shock. Sonny opened the door wider, revealing a tiny television. It was frozen on a shot of Grant Mitchell's face.

"You know running away isn't going to help anything," Sonny went on. "You can't just stay here for the rest of the week. Chad, you need to go home and beg Mr. Condor for your job before it's gone forever."

He knew she was right. As much as he didn't want to go crawling back to his boss, it was Chad's only option if he wanted his show back. And yes, he really wanted to be Mackenzie again. He just hadn't felt…like himself…since the day Mr. Condor fired him.

"I never planned on staying here," he admitted. "I just thought that, you know, since I had the time off anyway, I might as well stop by and check out the camp."

"Really, Chad? Really?" Sonny placed her hands on her hips. "What do you think about this place?"

"I think it's nice. Not nice enough to keep you away from me for an entire week, but nice nonetheless."

Sonny chuckled as she took a step closer to her boyfriend. "Well, whether you really came here to check out the camp or because you missed me, I'm happy you dropped by. It's been lonely without you."

"You're lonely?" Chad repeated, taking her hands in his. "Hm. I wonder if there's anything we could do about that."

"I have a solution in mind," Sonny said, smiling seductively. Chad felt his heartbeat quicken. "We could…" She kissed his cheek. "Call…" This time, she allowed her lips to gently brush against the side of his mouth. "Zac Efron."

That was all it took for Chad to tackle her. One little joke about Efron and Sonny was on the floor, laughing hysterically while Chad tickled her. It wasn't long before the actress was begging her boyfriend to stop, claiming she was laughing too hard to breathe.

"I'm stopping, but not because you asked me to," Chad said, offering his hand to help Sonny back to her feet. "I want to give you something before I take off."

"You don't have to give me anything. Just having you here has been great."

"I know I don't have to, but I want to and when Chad Dylan Cooper wants to do something, he does it!"

Glancing at his bracelet one final time, Chad slipped it off his wrist. Sonny grinned from ear to ear as he tied it to her arm.

"This," he explained, "Was given to me by a very special friend. She told me-,"

"She?" Sonny echoed. "I hope she wasn't pretty."

"She was beautiful," Chad replied, "But way too young for me. Anyway, she told me that this is a friendship bracelet."

"Chad...Is there a certain reason you're giving me a friendship bracelet?"

Chad nodded quickly. "See, my friend told me that whenever I looked at this bracelet, I would know that there's someone out there who cares about me. We're not going to be together every second of every day, Sonny – take this week, for example – and for those times when I'm not around, I want you to know that I'll never stop caring about you."

Sonny couldn't help herself: she wrapped her arms around Chad's neck and hugged him, clinging to him as though her life depended on it.

Getting through the rest of the week was much easier than making it through the first half was. Whenever Sonny felt homesick, she looked at her bracelet and remembered Chad's promise. He was out there somewhere, hopefully back at the studio, doing everything he could to win back his job.

And all the while, no matter what activity he was up to, he would always be guilty of caring for Sonny Munroe.

Author's Note: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEWS! They really do make my day and I LOVE hearing from all of you!

A special shout-out goes to VeVe2491 who answered my woodchuck question (I put it there in hopes that you would answer. You always answer my questions - usually with a response that makes me laugh!)

So.

1. What did you think about Chad telling the camper's they should strive for drama instead of comedy?

2. The picture Chad made for Sonny during Arts and Crafts - Cute, right?

3. Was the friendship bracelet too cheesy?

There - I gave you 3 questions. Now you have no reason not to review!

Um...Review please?


	43. Episode 42: Marshall with a Chance

WE'RE ALMOST TO THE END! WE'RE ALMOST TO THE END!

Finally, after a very, very, VERY long wait, we've made it to the home-stretch, guys! There are only two more episodes after this one!

Thank you sooooooo much for your reviews!

Disclaimer: I own NoThInG

Episode 42:

Marshall with a Chance

**Chad Dylan Cooper Never Steps Foot Inside Jewelry Stores**

The Randoms were going out to celebrate. Their mean director was gone, Marshall decided not to pursue his one-man show, and everything was back to normal. Well, almost everything was back to normal anyway.

"We're taking Marshall out for some fro yo," Sonny explained when Chad asked her what she doing after work. "You're more than welcome to come with us, but…"

She glanced over her shoulder. Tawni, Nico, Grady, and Zora were gathered around Marshall, laughing at a joke Chad hadn't heard. He smiled, knowing exactly what his girlfriend was trying to say: he was welcome to come, but she would rather he didn't. This was a special bonding thing for the Randoms.

"Say no more, m'lady," he said, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Have some fun for me, okay?"

The smile she gave him was breathtaking. "Thanks for being so understanding, Chad. I should only be gone for an hour or two, so if you want to meet up later-,"

"Take all the time you need," Chad interrupted, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Come on, Sonny!" Marshall called from the doorway, where the other Randoms were practically forcing him from the room. "The fro yo isn't going to wait forever!"

Sonny mouthed, 'Thank you!' to Chad before turning on her heels and joining her friends. Chad watched them leave – he even waved encouragingly when Sonny turned around to say her final goodbye – and waited until he could no longer hear their voices. Only then did he dare to move.

Chad ran to the Mackenzie Falls parking lot. Even if the Randoms and Marshall were walking, they wouldn't be able to see him. For the first time, Chad was thankful for the distance between his stage and Sonny's.

Rummaging through his pocket, Chad found his keys in less than two minutes. He unlocked his car, climbed into the driver's seat, and glanced out the windshield, making sure no one was around. After making sure he was alone, he revved his engine.

Sonny was going to be gone for an hour, two tops. He needed to be done with his task by the time she returned. He didn't want anyone – especially Sonny – to figure out what he was up to.

With his foot pressing down on the gas pedal harder than need be, Chad drove into the setting sun, praying he would get there in time.

* * *

The jewelry store was busy by the time Chad arrived. Couples were everywhere, examining necklaces and rings, asking employees if they could get a closer look at the pieces they really liked. Chad wondered if he had made a mistake in coming without Sonny, but he shook away that thought quickly. He wouldn't be able to surprise her if she was standing at his side.

"I'll be with you in a moment, sir," a pretty blonde stated, flashing Chad a swift smile. "Feel free to look around while you wait."

Normally Chad would have demanded to be waited on first, but tonight, he simply nodded to let the girl know he'd heard her. He knew exactly what he wanted to purchase, but he was nervous to actually go through with it. What if it was too soon? What if he was rushing into things? What if Sonny didn't want one yet?

Shoving his hands into his pockets, Chad made his way around the shop, pretending to study the cases. He could care less about the bracelets and charms and necklaces surrounding him, but staring at them was easier than looking at the item he was really shopping for. He would look at all the jewelry until he reached the case he was there to see.

It came upon him too fast. One second he was looking at heart-shaped necklaces, the next diamond rings. Chad forced his feet to stop as he leaned in, taking in the selection. He suddenly realized that even though this had sounded like a good idea in his head, the reality was that he knew virtually nothing about jewelry.

Would Sonny like the big, expensive looking rings or the smaller, less flashy ones? Did she like white gold or yellow gold? How many karats should he buy?

With a million questions and doubts running through his mind, Chad didn't notice when a man joined him. The stranger studied Chad, glanced down to see what had him freaking out, and then couldn't help from grinning.

"Thinking about getting married, huh?"

Chad jumped in surprise. The stranger laughed loudly.

"I'm Tim," he introduced, holding out his hand. "I don't work here or anything, but I was in your shoes a few months ago. I thought maybe I could give you some friendly advice."

Tim looked like a nice enough guy. He was young – only a year or two older than Chad was – and his smile was very welcoming. He had dark hair, eyes almost identical to Sonny's, and was dressed in a fancy button-up shirt. For some reason he couldn't explain, Chad liked him right away.

"You were in my shoes?" Chad scoffed. "You don't look old enough to be getting married."

"I could say the same thing about you," Tim shot back. "That's one of the cool things about love. Love doesn't care how old you are or how much money you make. All love cares about is making sure you always act like an idiot when you're around the one person you care about more than anything."

Chad wasn't sure what to say. He couldn't tell if Tim was crazy or just some random guy who read too many romance novels.

"So," Tim said, nodding toward the rings. "You're thinking about getting married."

"Engaged," Chad corrected.

Tim raised an eyebrow. "Well, if you're getting engaged, you must be thinking about getting married too, right?"

Slowly, Chad shook his head. Who did this guy think he was, prying into Chad Dylan Cooper's private life like that? What right did he have to-?

"Oh. I get it." Tim nodded understandingly. "You're too afraid to think about marriage."

"Chad Dylan Cooper fears nothing!" Chad protested. "I just…I just don't want to get married right this second."

"Hey, you don't need to explain it to me, man. I totally get what you're saying. You want to get engaged so your girlfriend knows you're serious about her, but at the same time, you don't want to fully commit to her. I mean, come on; you're what? Eighteen, nineteen years old? You want to be free just in case something better comes along."

Chad could feel his cheeks flushing in embarrassment. Tim was wrong; he wasn't worried about marriage because he thought he would ever find someone better than Sonny. He and Sonny were simply too young to get married. He wanted to promise her they'd be together forever, not scare her away.

"I don't think you're looking for an engagement ring," Tim stated when Chad remained silent. "You don't give a girl an engagement ring unless you're ready to marry her. I gave one to my girlfriend and the pressure was on immediately. Everyone wanted to know when we were getting married. We felt we needed to get married because of the ring. I think we both rushed into something neither of us was ready for."

"If you're married," Chad started, eying the stranger carefully, "Where's your wife?"

Tim nodded to the front counter. A pretty brunette was being waited on – a pretty pregnant brunette.

"That's why I don't think you want to buy an engagement ring just yet," Tim explained. "Unless you're ready for a wedding and a baby, I'd go with a promise ring. It still shows your girl how much you love her without adding on all the pressure."

Usually Chad Dylan Cooper wasn't one to listen when people gave him advice, but this time, he wondered if Tim was right. He wasn't ready to be a husband and father yet. However, he was ready to let Sonny know exactly how he felt about her. Was it too soon to buy an engagement ring? Would Sonny be happy with a promise ring instead?

Chad was still trying to decide which route he wanted to choose when the blonde sales associate finally made her way to him.

"Sorry about the wait," she apologized. "So, what can I do for you today?"

It was the moment of truth.

Author's Note: Sorry this chapter was short. I couldn't think of much to add...

SO, that being said, I need your help with something:

1. Should Chad give Sonny the ring

OR

2. Should the break-up happen before he has the chance?

Review me your answer?


	44. Episode 43: Sonny with a Choice

500 REVIEWS! 500 REVIEWS!

You guys are AMAZING! And I don't deserve even one of you, especially since I made you wait so long for this update (which I am very, very, VERY sorry about!)

Thank you so much for the reviews! I LOVE them so much!

Um...More notes at the end.

Disclaimer: I own Breaking Dawn Part 2. Not SWAC though

Episode 43:

Sonny with a Choice

**Chad Dylan Cooper Is a Safe Driver**

"I can't be in a relationship with someone who always put himself first."

Chad was confused. This conversation wasn't going the way he'd planned at all. Sonny was supposed to be happy. So Random had lost, Mackenzie Falls had won. Nothing had to be awkward between them because everything was back to the way it should've been.

Why was Sonny looking at him like that? Why wasn't she throwing her arms around his neck victoriously, thanking Chad for fixing things?

"I did this for us, okay?" he stated firmly, not knowing what else to do. He needed to get his point across, to make Sonny understand that he wasn't being selfish.

"No, Chad," Sonny declined, her voice barely above a whisper. "The only 'us' there is now is between you and this award."

Chad stared down at the trophy. He'd held a million just like it, but somehow, this one felt different. This time, he didn't feel like a winner; he felt like the major of Jerksville.

"I hope you two will be very happy together," Sonny added.

This wasn't right. Sonny was supposed to happy. She should've been jumping up and down in excitement and telling Chad how amazing he was for putting their lives back to normal. The last thing in the world she was supposed to do was blink away tears.

"Sorry…Are you breaking up with me?" Chad demanded. When the comedy actress didn't answer right away, he quickly explained, "Because I thought I was helping."

"That's the worst part about it."

Chad was an expert when it came to acting. He could tell when someone was lying to him from a mile away. He wanted to believe Sonny was just kidding around, that this break-up was her idea of a cruel joke. Looking at her though, watching as her always happy brown eyes clouded over, he knew that wasn't the case. Sonny was completely serious.

"There are no second chances this time," she said, shrugging helplessly. "You won the re-count…but you lost me."

Sonny was breaking up with him. Mackenzie Falls won best tween show, but Sonny was no longer his girlfriend. Was the win worth it? Was the trophy worth losing the one girl he ever really cared about?

Chad knew the answer to that question without having to think about it.

He backed out of the room slowly, unsure what was supposed to happen next. He'd never been broken up with before. Should he say something? Would Sonny listen to him if he tried reasoning with her?

Remembering that the stupid trophy was still in his grasp, Chad placed it on the table. He couldn't take it with him. Every time he saw it, he would think back to this moment, the moment when Sonny decided to…to…

Chad made it to the doorway before he turned around. He thought about saying something, anything that would make Sonny change her mind. Whether it was apologizing for having the re-count done or telling her she was right, that he was wrong about everything. In that moment, he was prepared to say whatever it took to win Sonny back.

Her eyes met his the second he faced her and Chad felt his willpower leave. All the words he wanted to say were forgotten. He'd gone too far this time. The actress was doing her best to keep from crying. It didn't matter what he said; the damage was already done.

The news would spread like wildfire, that much Chad was sure of. He lived in Hollywood, the place where the paparazzi thrived on the lives of people just like him, people who grew up in front of the spotlight. The whole world knew about his relationship with Sonny. What would they think when they found out Channy was dead?

He had to get away. Chad wasn't ready to face the media just yet. He needed time alone so he could collect his thoughts.

Not knowing where else to go, Chad jumped in his car. He would drive around for a while, just until he was able to calm down. Sonny had broken up with him; so what? He was Chad Dylan Cooper. Chad Dylan Cooper did not need Sonny Munroe in his life to be happy.

…Did he?

* * *

Connie Munroe was waiting rather impatiently. She'd called her daughter and asked if she wouldn't mind coming home from the studio a little earlier than usual. Sonny, although she had no idea why Connie wanted her home so soon, agreed.

Sonny took her time walking home. It was a long walk anyway, but she liked the peace and quiet that surrounded her. No Randoms, no annoying questions, no one trying to wrap their comforting arms around her. She loved her friends, but sometimes, she liked being alone too.

Chad Dylan Cooper was no longer her boyfriend.

It wasn't the way Sonny wanted their relationship to play out. She knew she was taking a chance when she started dating her frenemy, but she'd been willing to risk it. Why? Why had she been so eager to put her heart on the line? How come she didn't nip things in the bud like her friends suggested from the very beginning?

_'Because,' _a small voice in the back of her mind reminded her. _'You liked him, Sonny.'_

"I was so stupid," she said out-loud, kicking a stone that was lying in her path. It flew out of sight, landing at least several feet away with a tiny _plink_. "Chad's always been a jerk. I should've known nothing would change."

_'But he did change,' _the tiny voice argued. _'You noticed it…Your friends noticed it…Even Chad's fans noticed it! The Chad you met when you first came to Hollywood was different than the Chad who asked you out.'_

"If he changed," Sonny challenged, rolling her eyes in disgust, "How come he asked for a re-count? Why couldn't he deal with me being in the spotlight for one day?"

_'Maybe he hasn't finished growing up yet. He's still young, Sonny, just like you are. You're both going to make mistakes.'_

"How many mistakes am I supposed to sit back and watch him make?" Sonny turned her eyes to the sky, almost as though she expected the clouds to roll back and give her an answer. "Am I wrong about this? Should I just step aside and let Chad steal my glory?"

_'Did he really steal it?' _This time, the voice sounded sarcastic. _'Did he really steal your glory or are you making a big deal out of nothing?'_

"Yes, he really stole my glory!" Sonny protested. "So Random won that award fair and square-,"

_'Are you sure about that?'_

Sonny lost her balance, almost falling flat on her face. Thankfully, she was able to catch herself before hitting the cement beneath her. She turned around, wondering what had caused her to stumble.

There was a crack in the sidewalk, a crack Sonny had known about for a long time. Usually, she remembered to step over it. Today, her mind was elsewhere.

_'See?' _the voice pointed out. _'You just made a mistake, didn't you? You forgot about that crack.'_

"Forgetting about a crack and asking for a re-count are two completely different things," Sonny argued.

_'I don't know,' _the voice sighed. _'Maybe you're right. What Chad did was wrong, but…"_

"But?"

_'But do you really think he would deliberately do something just to make you upset? It's possible – very probable, actually – that he was trying to help your relationship. Sure, he went about it in the wrong way, but he's Chad. He's never had a steady girlfriend before. He's never fallen in love with his enemy. He has never shared his spotlight with anyone. Losing that award was probably weird enough, but losing it to his girlfriend? It couldn't have been easy on him.'_

The stupid voice had a good point. Chad, as cute and sweet as he was, could be clueless sometimes. Had she been too harsh on him? Was breaking up the wrong decision?

Shaking her head, Sonny tried to forget about the past few hours. She'd finally reached her apartment complex and the last thing she wanted to endure were a million questions from her mother about why she was crying and what had just taken place in the Prop House. If she was lucky, she could keep the story a secret for now.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, Sonny twisted the doorknob.

* * *

Chad's foot hadn't left the gas pedal in the past sixty-five minutes.

The young actor had no idea where he was going. He'd never driven this far from home before, not without a map. All he knew was that he couldn't stay in Hollywood. No matter which way he turned, no matter which road he travelled down, there were always cars in the way. Traffic moved at a snail's pace. He couldn't handle going slow tonight. He needed to drive, and he needed to drive fast.

Darkness shadowed him as Chad sped along. The road was unfamiliar, but at least it was deserted. He could drive as fast as he wanted to. Who was going to stop him? Even if a cop did pull him aside, he would easily be able to pay off a speeding ticket. He was Chad Dylan Cooper, the greatest actor of his generation. Money wasn't an issue.

An empty pizza box sat in the passenger seat. Usually Chad wouldn't have allowed such a greasy item to touch his leather interior, but tonight was special. He'd been driving for a long time and eventually, he got hungry. Not wanting to leave his vehicle, he stopped at the first restaurant he saw that had a drive-thru. The pizza wasn't good – it tasted like cardboard – but he ate it anyway, grimacing the entire time.

_'Sonny used to eat pizza.'_

The moment her name popped into his head, Chad pressed his right foot tighter to the pedal. His car lurched, resisting his request at first, and then sputtered as it obeyed.

He wasn't going to think about Sonny Munroe. If she didn't want to be with him, it was her choice. No one was forcing her to do anything she didn't want to do. Just because she was the only girl he ever had real feelings for and the person he could see himself being with forever…

The ring.

In all the drama of the Tween Choice Awards, Chad had forgotten about the ring he'd bought. He slammed his fist against the steering wheel angrily as he recalled his plan: He was going to call Sonny to the stage after the Mackenzie Falls cast won their award. He planned on surprising her in front of his cast, her friends, the cameras…He wanted everyone to witness the moment he pledged to spend the rest of his life with Sonny Munroe.

With the ring feeling as though it weighed five hundred pounds while it rested in his pocket, Chad kept driving.

He had to stop thinking about Sonny.

* * *

"Surprise!"

Sonny stopped in the doorway of her apartment, jumping nearly two feet in the air. Her mom wasn't the only person waiting for her; the whole place was filled with faces, all of them smiling like they knew some huge secret that they were bursting to share.

"Mom?" Sonny asked nervously. "You know today's not my birthday…don't you?"

"Of course I know that, Sonny!" Connie Munroe laughed, stepping forward from the rest of the crowd. "We're all here to celebrate something else!"

_'She knows!' _the silent voice screamed. _'She knows you broke up with Chad!'_

"Remember when I went to Wisconsin a few weeks ago?" Connie continued. "Well, I wasn't really going to visit your sick grandmother. I was checking out colleges."

"Colleges?" Sonny repeated dumbly.

"Uh-huh!" her mother confirmed. "See, you're a great actress and everything, sweetie, but you should have something to fall back on just in case you ever decide you don't want to be on TV. I thought that maybe you would enjoy attending a semester or two at a real university!"

After getting a role on So Random, Sonny had never really thought about her education. She always figured she would make it through high school and be happy with that. She'd never given much thought to furthering her education.

"There's this really great school I think you'll just love, Sonny," Connie went on, either not noticing her daughter's silence or simply choosing to ignore it. "It's in Wisconsin so you'd have to quit your job, but you'd get to see our family all the time and-,"

"And we'll be taking classes together!"

Another body shot forward, this time drawing Sonny in for a tight hug. She recognized the girl instantly: Lucy.

"We're going to have so much fun together, Sonny!" Lucy exclaimed. "It'll be just like old times!"

Did Sonny want things to be like old times? Did she want to leave Hollywood behind and live in Wisconsin again? Yes, it would be nice to spend time with her family and Lucy, but she loved working on So Random. She couldn't imagine saying goodbye to Nico, Grady, Tawni, Zora, Marshall, Chad-

Chad…If she stayed at the studio, she would have to see him. Whether it was during lunch or causally walking through the halls, she would run into her ex. It would be impossible not to when they were working in the same building.

Maybe going to college was the perfect excuse. She could run away without really running away. No one would know she was really leaving so she wouldn't have to see Chad.

Sonny pasted a smile on her face as the crowd engulfed her. Everyone wanted to congratulate the soon-to-be college student. Most of the faces she recognized as family members who must've flown in from Wisconsin. She wondered how long they'd been in Hollywood, hiding from her and keeping this huge secret.

Her lips smiled warmly, but inside, her heart was sinking. If she was leaving, she'd have to admit one thing first:

She and Chad Dylan Cooper really were over.

* * *

The radio was blaring.

Chad had no idea what song was breaking his ear drums, but it was loud and angry, which was exactly the kind of music he wanted. The louder the singer shouted, the harder Chad pressed on the accelerator. He'd always had a problem with driving while listening to the stereo. He tended to speed up and slow down with the music.

Although he didn't want to admit it, the road was becoming blurry. Chad wasn't used to driving for long periods of time – the studio was only a few minutes from his mansion – and all his time on the open road was taking its toll. He was getting sleepy.

"I'll find a motel," he decided. "I'll figure out how to get home tomorrow."

In hindsight, he wasn't sure how it happened. Maybe he was just so tired that his brain wasn't working right. Maybe he hadn't seen any other cars in hours and figured he was all alone. Maybe he was too busy trying to drown his thoughts about Sonny in the music emitting from the speakers.

Whatever the reason was, Chad's car drifted into the other lane. By the time he finally noticed the headlights – in his defense, they were awfully dull – the semi-truck was too close. If his music had been turned down, he would've heard the warning the truck gave him as the driver pressed on their horn over and over again…

The last thought to cross his mind before everything went black was this:

_'I love you, Sonny.'_

* * *

It was almost three o'clock when Sonny first heard the mooing. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes – not that she'd really gotten any sleep anyway. Every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was Chad's face – and reached blindly for her phone. Stifling a yawn, she checked the text, wondering who would message her at this time of night.

**Turn on your TV**, Tawni had written. **There's something I think you'll want to see.**

Immediately, Sonny knew who was in trouble. Maybe she'd known something bad was going to happen all night and that was why sleep wouldn't come. Was it possible for her to be so in tune with Chad that she could sense when something wasn't right?

The brunette stumbled her way into the living room, trying to be as quiet as possible so she wouldn't wake her mom. Her attempts were futile apparently; Connie was already in the room when Sonny arrived.

Connie wordlessly glanced up when she saw her daughter. The lights were off so Sonny couldn't make out her facial expressions exactly, but the light glowing from the television told her that Connie's jaw was hanging.

Unsure if she wanted to know, Sonny stepped forward slowly. A wave of nausea washed over her as her eyes landed on the screen.

"For those of you just tuning in," a news reporter said, "This is a breaking news alert. Just moments ago we received word that there has been a horrible accident. Members of our crew are already on their way to find out more information, but so far we've been able to gather this much: a semi-truck collided head-on with another car. It seems as though the driver of the truck is fine, although the same cannot be side for the other victim. He remains in a coma-like state. Police were able to figure out his name."

Sonny bit her tongue. _'Don't say Chad. Don't say Chad. For goodness sake, don't say Chad!'_

"Chad Dylan Cooper, star of Mackenzie Falls, was driving the other vehicle," the reporter stated. "We'll let you know more as soon as possible."

Connie already had her keys before the reporter was finished.

"Come on," she ordered, placing a comforting hand on Sonny's shoulder. "Let's meet him at the hospital. Chad's going to be fine, Sonny."

That was all it took to bring Sonny to tears.

Author's Note: Don't you guys just HATE me for that ending?

Well, I felt I needed to add drama because:

1. There was a break-up. Who doesn't go through drama after a break-up?

2. I ONLY HAVE ONE EPISODE LEFT!

3. Why did I have Connie suggest Sonny leave for college? Because we all know Sonny left So Random. We just don't know why she did. THIS is my reasoning for it.

4. IS CHAD GOING TO LIVE?!

PS. I NEED YOUR HELP!

For the final chapter, I need you guys to give me your input. What have been some of your favorite Channy moments A. from my story, and B. from the show. PLEASE ANSWER THIS QUESTION IN YOUR REVIEW!

Again: PLEASE SEND ME YOUR FAV CHANNY MOMENTS, BOTH FROM THE SHOW AND THIS STORY!

That is all. Um...Review?


	45. Episode 44: New Girl

I know this chapter jumps around a LOT, but it should be fairly easy to keep up with. Sorry for any confusion!

I want to thank each and every one of you for reading this story. Whether you've been a faithful reviewer or just a silent reader, this story never could've been written without your help and your support. Thank you so much for everything!

Disclaimer: I don't own the lyrics to "Tell Me What to Do," by Demi Lovato. I also do not own the episodes of swac I reference.

Episode 44:

New Girl

**Chad Dylan Cooper Never Says Goodbye**

_Tell me what to do, ohh_

_About you_

By the time Connie and Sonny finally figured out which hospital Chad was in, Sonny had managed to compose herself. Her eyes were red, but at least she wasn't sobbing uncontrollably. She needed to be strong for Chad's sake. Someone had to help him wake up, right?

At first, the nurses refused to let Sonny in the room, stating firmly that only family was allowed. The actress didn't give up easily. She explained that even if Chad's parents bothered coming, he would want to see her too. She tried telling the nurses that she was Chad's girlfriend and the Cooper's wouldn't mind if she saw their son. Even Connie stepped forward and tried reasoning with the ladies. Nothing worked; their answer remained the same.

Sonny paced around the waiting room, racking her brain for believable excuses. She could lie and say she was Chad's sister. Would the nurses go for that? No…Chad was too famous. Everyone knew he was an only child. Maybe she could pose as his cousin or something. Did she look like someone who could be related to the Cooper family?

"You're making me dizzy," Connie complained as her daughter circled the room for what had to be the hundredth time. "Why don't you sit down for a while? I'm sure they'll let you see Chad eventually-,"

"I can't wait for 'eventually', mom!" Sonny cried out. "What if 'eventually' comes too late? What if Chad wakes up while I'm being hostage out here and he freaks out because he has no idea where he is or who anyone is? What if he never wakes up at all and 'eventually' doesn't come until it's too late and he's already – he's already…"

"Sonny-,"

"I'm sorry," the brunette apologized quickly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout like that. It's just…Chad's never been in an accident before and I know people go into comas all the time and end up waking up perfectly okay, but other times, they lose their memories and forget who they are, who their friends are, and I just couldn't deal with it if that happened to Chad all because of me!"

Connie stared at her daughter blankly. "Because of you? Sonny, Chad was in a car accident. You had nothing to do with it, sweetie."

"Why do you think he was driving so far away from home in the first place, mom?" The actress answered her own question. "He was mad at me for breaking up with him! If we never would've broken up, he wouldn't have jumped in his car and he never would've been there when that semi appeared. If anything happens to Chad, if he's not okay…it'll be my fault."

A break-up? Why was this the first time Connie was hearing about a break-up? She thought things were going fine between her daughter and the greatest actor of her generation. When had they decided to split?

She would have to get the rest of the details later. Right now, Sonny was hugging her shoulders tightly, trying her hardest to keep the tears from escaping again. Connie held out her arms. The young teen fell into them, burying her head in Connie's chest.

Connie always thought Sonny was tough. She'd grown into a beautiful woman, a woman who knew right from wrong and always did her best to make the right decisions. She was an amazing actress and had a smile that was contagious. She was mature for her age, which was something Connie took pride in. Somehow, she'd managed to raise a nearly-perfect daughter.

Looking at Sonny now, watching as she tried and failed to keep her composure, Connie remembered what it was like to be a teenager. Feeling not quite grown-up enough to be called an adult but not childish enough to be a kid either. Falling in love for the first time and falling out of love just as quickly. Imagining the world was ending because your heart was broken into a million tiny pieces.

Sonny was strong…most of the time. Tonight, as Connie held her daughter in her lap, gently kissing away her tears and whispering that everything was going to be okay, she was nothing more than a little child who needed mommy to make their boo-boo go away.

Tonight, Connie wished she had someone to make her feel better, too.

* * *

"Mrs. Munroe?"

Connie jumped when she felt a hand lightly shake her shoulder. Her movement caused Sonny, who must've fallen asleep in her lap, to wake up as well. Blushing with embarrassment, Sonny leapt to her feet and brushed her fingers through her hair. Connie followed her example, wondering if her hair was as frazzled and her eyes as red-rimmed as her daughter's.

"I'm sorry to wake you," a man's voice apologized. "I assume you're here for Chad Dylan Cooper?"

Just hearing his name was enough to grab Sonny's attention. She turned to the man – a tall, thin guy who didn't have much hair and was wearing a white coat – and clutched his arm.

"How is Chad?" she demanded. "Is he okay? Has he woken up yet? Can I see him?"

"Sonny," Connie disciplined. "Breathe between your questions! You need to give him a chance to answer before you spring another one on the poor guy!"

"You may ask as many questions as you'd like to ask, dear girl," the man said, smiling down at the actress. "My name is Doctor Hammond. Chad has been placed under my care for the time being."

"Is he alright? What's wrong with him? Oh, I hope it isn't anything too horrible. Can I see him yet? Is he awake?"

The questions came out as a huge run-on sentence. Sonny tried to slow them down but she was too nervous about the answers. What was the point in talking slow when Chad was sitting all alone in a hospital room with no one around to comfort him? The faster she got the questions out of the way, hopefully the sooner she'd get to see him.

"I am very happy to announce that Chad is doing much better," Dr. Hammond said. Both Munroe's let out sighs of relief. "However, although his vital signs are picking up, Mr. Cooper has not yet woken up from his coma. I am certain that he can hear almost everything going on around him and his body is accepting the food and fluids we're giving him, but he was jostled around pretty badly in the accident. He has a few minor injuries – bruises, cuts, things of that sort – and he must've hit his head too. From what I can tell, there isn't any brain damage."

So, Chad was eating and drinking. He also didn't have any brain damage. If it wasn't for the stupid coma, Sonny would've jumped up and down in joy.

"If there's no brain damage," Connie wanted to know, "Why is he still asleep?"

"I think his body has gone into a state of shock," Dr. Hammond replied. "We won't know for certain how much he's suffering until he opens his eyes. Only then will we know whether or not he's able to function properly."

"And by properly you mean…?"

"I mean that Mr. Cooper will know who he is, when his birthday day is, what today's date is, and that he plays Mackenzie on a hit tween show," Dr. Hammond clarified. "If we're lucky, Chad will still have all his memories. If that's the case, his healing process shall be fairly short."

Sonny felt her smile fading. "What if he doesn't have his memories?"

"If that's the case," Dr. Hammond said, "His injuries will still heal just as fast. He just might be a little harder to look after. He'll need someone to watch him twenty-four hours a day until he regains those memories. However, that is a worst-case scenario. Right now, there's no evidence that makes me believe Mr. Cooper won't make a full recovery."

Dr. Hammond pulled out a clipboard, which he studied closely for several long moments. Sonny shifted her weight from one foot to the other. What was taking so long? Why hadn't she been given permission to see Chad yet?

"I understand that you are Mr. Cooper's only visitors?" the doctor asked. "What is your relation to the patient?"

"I'm his…" Sonny paused, unsure which term described her now. She wasn't a girlfriend…Were they even friends? "I'm one of his co-workers."

"We're not sure about his parents," Connie jumped in. "He doesn't talk about them very often. I can assure you that Sonny and Chad are close. They're practically family, so if anyone should be allowed to see him-,"

"You don't need to give me excuses," Dr. Hammond said, waving off her statement. "I was already planning on inviting you to see Mr. Cooper. I hope that hearing the voice of someone close to him – someone like Sonny – will help him wake up."

Putting aside his paperwork, Dr. Hammond smiled brightly at the ladies standing before him. He gestured toward the hall. "So…Shall we proceed with the visitation?"

Even though she'd wanted nothing more than to see Chad less than five minutes ago, Sonny suddenly felt scared. What if she made things worse instead of better? It was possible that Chad was so mad at her for breaking up with him that the sound of her voice would encourage him to stay asleep instead of awakening him from his coma. Was she even ready to see him? Could she look at his lifeless body without screaming?

Noticing her daughter's hesitation, Connie took Sonny's hand in hers, squeezing it tightly. The younger girl closed her eyes, breathed in deeply, and finally nodded her head.

"Let's do this," she said, mustering every ounce of courage that she could find.

Still holding hands, Sonny and Connie followed Dr. Hammond as he led them through the hospital, each and every step bringing them that much closer to Chad Dylan Cooper.

* * *

Dr. Hammond stopped at room 118.

"I'll leave you alone," he said before placing a hand on Sonny's shoulder. "It will feel weird at first, talking to someone who can't respond. Please try your best to keep the conversation flowing. Talk to him about anything. Simply hearing your voice will help him."

Sonny nodded. She would've answered him except her throat was tightening up. The impending tears waited at the corners of her eyes and she blinked rapidly to keep them from escaping.

Without another word, Dr. Hammond left. Sonny and her mother were alone in the quiet hallway, both of them staring at the closed door as though they expected a ghost to walk through it at any given moment. A door had never looked so foreboding.

"Do you want me to come in with you?" Connie offered.

"Yes," Sonny said fervently. "The more voices Chad hears, the better his chances are of waking up."

_'And I'm too afraid to go in alone,' _she added silently.

Connie stepped forward, knowing Sonny wasn't going to make the first move. She placed her hand on the doorknob – Sonny chewed furiously on her lower lip – and slowly, she twisted her wrist. The door opened just wide enough for Sonny to slither her way inside, which she did, but not before closing her eyes.

"Oh…My…Chad."

With her eyes still knit together, Sonny had no idea what made her mother utter that phrase. Did Chad look that bad? Was she going to puke the moment she saw him?

_'You have to look at him, Sonny,' _that annoying little voice ordered. _'If it weren't for you, he wouldn't even be here. You owe him, Munroe!'_

The voice was right. If Sonny was the one lying in a hospital bed, she would've wanted someone, anyone really, to come sit with her, even if it was Chad Dylan Cooper, her ex-boyfriend.

She forced her left eye to open.

At first glance, Sonny thought Chad was an angel. His skin was so white; it was almost glowing in the soft lighting. His blue eyes were closed and his face – his beautiful, award-winning face – was covered in cuts and bruises. As Sonny stepped closer, she could make out every injury clearly. The black and blue circle around his eye. The long mark stretching from his chin to his temple. The spot where his hair had been shaved so the doctor could tend to another cut.

Tubes stuck out in every direction. Sonny guessed that two of them were for food and water. The others, she had no idea. A bandage was wrapped around his forehead, which also had wires attached to it. That one was easy to figure out: it was keeping track of Chad's lifeline.

"It's not so bad," Connie commented, plastering a fake smile to her lips. "It almost looks like he's just taking a nap, doesn't it?"

"He is napping," Sonny agreed, latching on to the excuse. Anything was better than thinking about talking with a coma-induced Chad. "He's just tired after everything he's been through. He'll wake up when he's ready."

Connie stepped closer to Chad's bed. Sonny hung back, staying as close to the door as possible. She wasn't sure she was ready to approach him just yet.

"Hey, Chad," Connie greeted gently. "It's me, Mrs. Munroe. The mother of your girl – ex-girlfriend, I mean. You're having a rough day, huh?"

Of course there was no response. That didn't seem to faze Connie.

"Well, I suppose it's a good thing you're getting rested up," she continued, "Because you're going to need your strength when I get my hands on you. I don't know what happened between you and my daughter, but I do know that it was probably your fault. It seems like every time the two of you have a fight, it's because of something stupid you've done."

Sonny felt her jaw drop. Here she was, feeling responsible for Chad's condition, and instead of telling him how sorry she was to have such a stupid daughter, Connie was making Chad out to sound like the bad guy!

"I'm only joking," Connie went on when she glanced up long enough to see Sonny's expression. "My daughter isn't perfect, either. I'm sure she's caused a few fights along the way. I'm not kidding about this though." She leaned forward, allowing her lips to linger just above the actor's ear. "You really do need to wake up. No matter what happened with you and Sonny, she'll be heartbroken if anything happens to you. She cares about you a lot, Chad – a lot more than she'll ever admit."

The blush that overtook Sonny's cheeks was priceless. Her mother couldn't help it; she had to chuckle.

"Sonny's going to talk to you now," she explained, motioning for Sonny to come forward. "She's been so worried about you. You need to open those dramatic eyes of yours and let her know everything's going to be okay, alright? I've already told her, but she won't listen to me. Maybe she would believe you."

"No, no," Sonny protested. "I don't need to talk to him yet. You're doing such a wonderful job, mom! Why don't you keep talking and I'll just – I'll…"

She couldn't think of a good excuse. Connie narrowed her eyes and Sonny sighed in defeat. She'd stalled long enough apparently.

Her feet stayed glued to the floor as Sonny sluggishly made her way to the bed. When she was close enough, Connie grabbed her arm, dragging her the rest of the way. Too quickly, she was standing at Chad's side.

"Um…Hi, Chad." She refused to look at his lifeless face. "It's me, Sonny. Sonny Munroe, to be exact. I have no idea if you remember me or not, so maybe I should tell you something about myself?"

She glanced up at Connie, silently asking if she was doing okay so far. Her mother nodded excitedly, gesturing for her to continue.

"I moved to Hollywood a little over a year ago," she explained, deciding the beginning was the best place to start. "See, I'd just gotten a role on So Random, which was like a dream-come-true for me. I always wanted to be a comedian so when I found out I was going to live out my dream, I was so excited! I couldn't wait to start my new job at Condor Studios. Do you know what Condor Studios is? You work there too, you know – for a show called Mackenzie Falls. Your cast hates mine. Well, they used to hate mine, anyway."

Sonny giggled as she thought back to her first days in Hollywood. Man, how things had changed since then!

"My cast mates hated me when I arrived," she said, rolling her eyes at the memory. "They were already best friends and they didn't want me to mess things up. They thought I would be a horrible addition to the show, that I didn't have a funny bone in my body. I proved them wrong. I didn't know about the rivalry between your cast and mine until a week or so later. Believe it or not, but you weren't so fond of me when we first met, either. Actually, you didn't even know I was an actress. You asked me for yogurt…"

Connie backed out of the room silently as Sonny dived into her stories. If Dr. Hammond's theory about hearing the voice of someone close to him was true, Chad would be awake in no time.

Sonny Munroe wasn't shutting up anytime soon.

* * *

For the next week, Sonny spent as much time as she could at the hospital. She called in sick to work – it wasn't like it mattered how many days she missed since she was moving to Wisconsin anyway. Every day, she spent the time she'd normally share with Tawni, Nico, Grady, and Zora sitting at Chad's bedside, babbling on and on about anything and everything. She told him about her life before and after moving to Hollywood, about how close she and Lucy used to be and how great it would be now that they were going to college together. She also spoke about his life, just in case his own memories were gone. She reminded him how stuck-up he was and that he referred to himself in third person on a daily basis.

When she finally ran out of things to say, Sonny had several different activities lined up. Sometimes, she pulled out a book and started to read it out loud. It didn't matter which title she chose; Chad hated reading, so she was sure he hadn't heard any of them before. Other times, she brought DVD copies of Mackenzie Falls or So Random with her, hoping the voices on the videos would help him wake up.

Sonny never left the hospital earlier than nine o'clock, which was when Dr. Hammond kicked her out of Chad's room, stating that visiting hours were over. She went home every night but never got any sleep. Instead, she spent her nights wondering what she was doing wrong, why Chad hadn't come out of his coma yet, and what she could do differently that would help him more. She was back at Chad's side every morning at seven, the exact hour visiting hours began.

"Come on, Chad," she encouraged on more than one occasion. "I've heard of beauty sleep, but you're going a little overboard, don't you think?"

She took his hand in hers, twining their fingers together. His hand was cold – freezing, almost – and she worried that maybe that was a bad sign. However, his wrist proved that he had a pulse. Chad Dylan Cooper wasn't dead; he was still fighting for his life.

"Don't think I don't know exactly what you're doing," Sonny accused. "You've always said drama is better than comedy. You're only staying asleep for so long because you want to create dramatic effect, right? Well, you can knock off your little game anytime now, Chad. I, for one, am getting sick of this hospital. Aren't you?"

For the first six days, Chad remained motionless. On the seventh though, something finally changed.

* * *

_"Come on, Chad. I've heard of beauty sleep, but you're going a little overboard, don't you think?"_

_ Her voice sounded far away, but Chad couldn't deny hearing it. He knew he'd heard it somewhere – it sounded very familiar – although he couldn't quite put his finger on who it was. His mother? No…Her voice had never sounded so musical. The voice spoke with perfect clarity and in a tone that reminded him of sunshine…_

_ Sunshine…A tone that reminded him…of sunshine…_

_ He could see everything clearly, almost as though the scene was playing out right before his eyes. A younger Chad and Portlyn were on the So Random set, hiding from the Randoms. Actually, they weren't so much hiding as they were spying. From the looks of it, the comedy show was getting a new actress, a very pretty girl with brown hair, brown eyes, and a cute smile._

_ The new actress started to walk away. Chad was alone now – Portlyn must have left – and he couldn't take his eyes off the new girl. For some reason he didn't understand, she glanced over her shoulder as she left. Her eyes locked with his._

_ Sonny Munroe!_

_ The clip he'd just seen, Chad realized with sudden shock, was a flashback to the first time he laid eyes on Sonny. Wait…If this was just a flashback, where was the real Sonny? He'd heard her voice! She was nearby, maybe even right beside him. How come he couldn't see her? Where was she?_

_ Chad started to panic. Noises were becoming louder – machines whirling, feet running in every direction, the rustling of papers, voices he'd never heard before. What was happening to him? Where was he? Why was everything getting louder and brighter by the second?_

_ He was finally waking up._

* * *

Chad's hand was in Sonny's when she thought she saw his finger move. She ignored it at first, figuring her eager and tired mind was just playing tricks. When another finger moved a few seconds later, followed by a loud moan from the blonde actor, Sonny jumped to her feet. It was finally time!

Dr. Hammond and three nurses rushed into the room. They ran around like chickens with no heads, their happiness evident on their faces. Sonny refused to move away from Chad, clutching to his hand for dear life. She held her breath.

_'He's going to wake up now. Okay…He'll wake up now. Maybe now?'_

"Doctor!" one of the nurses cried out. "Look at his eyes!"

His eyelids were fluttering like he was trying to keep them closed, like he didn't want to open them. Sonny waited, cheering him on silently: _'Come on, Chad. You can do this, I know you can!'_

Slowly, his blue orbs finally opened.

The nurses clapped, Dr. Hammond ran to check something, and Sonny bent down, hugging Chad's torso as tightly as she could without jostling the needles. For his part, all Chad did was blink in surprise.

Chad Dylan Cooper was alive!

* * *

"I really got hit by a semi?"

A few hours later, after Dr. Hammond was satisfied with Chad's tests, the two actors were left alone. Sonny did her best to fill Chad in on his accident, although it was hard since she hadn't been in the car with him. Thankfully, he seemed to remember everything else. He knew his name (all three of them), he knew he acted on Mackenzie Falls, and he didn't need to be told who Sonny was. It looked like he was going to be just fine once his cuts healed and his bruises faded.

"You're lucky to be here right now," Sonny confirmed the answer to Chad's question. "I saw your car after the wreck. I'm pretty sure it's totaled."

"Huh. I guess it's really true then, isn't it?" Chad said thoughtfully. "Chad Dylan Cooper can survive anything!"

"Chad Dylan Cooper never would've had to survive anything if it weren't for Sonny Munroe."

Chad wrinkled his brow. "What are you talking about, Sonny? It wasn't your fault this happened."

"Don't you remember what happened before you got in the accident?" Sonny asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Everything about that night was still a little foggy to him. Chad remembered something about a re-count, a crying Sonny, and anger as he hopped into his car and drove away from the studio. Any other details were temporarily erased.

"We broke up," Sonny explained when the actor never answered her. "We broke up and you went crazy and tried to kill yourself."

"I wasn't trying to kill myself," Chad argued. "I just went for a drive-,"

"Yeah, a drive that almost killed you! Chad, you were so angry about our break-up that you got in this horrible accident. Do you have any idea how scared I was? I had no idea if you would ever wake up from your coma or if you'd be the same person if you did or if you would just…If you'd just…"

She broke off, shaking her head as she flopped into the chair beside his bed. Chad reached out quickly, ignoring the pain that shot through his arm. Stupid needle!

"Even if something had happened to me, it wouldn't have been your fault, Sonny," he assured her. "It was my decision to get behind the wheel. I was the one who didn't see the truck until it was too late, not you."

Sonny wasn't listening. She shook her head again, sucked in a deep breath, and stared at her hands nervously.

"I guess I really do 'Sonny it up' sometimes."

Chad didn't know what to say. He had no idea what Sonny was talking about. She hadn't done anything wrong! Sure, the old Chad would've blamed her for everything, but he couldn't do that this time. He was the one who got behind the wheel when he was too upset to drive. He was the one who turned up his music too loud. He was the one who allowed his car to drift into the other lane. Sonny hadn't done anything.

"Let's face it, Chad. We're not good for each other." Sonny shrugged helplessly. "We fought when I first moved here. We tried to cover up our hate by dating. Now, we're sitting in a hospital room after breaking up. I've been a bad influence on your life. Maybe things will get better now that I'm leaving."

The blonde actor felt his jaw fall. "Leaving?"

"My mom thinks it would be a good idea for me to go to college in case my acting career ever falls through. I'm moving back to Wisconsin."

This couldn't be happening. Here he was, sitting in a hospital room with too many injuries to count, and Chad didn't care about himself at all. All he cared about were the words leaving Sonny's mouth, the goodbye she was inevitably building up to.

"Don't tell anyone else about this," she pleaded. "I want to wait to tell my friends until they absolutely need to know. They might try convincing me to stay…and I might listen to them."

"What if I try convincing you to stay?" Chad demanded. "Would you stay if I asked you to, Sonny?"

Her brown eyes were round as they locked on his blue ones. He wished he could read her mind, that he could tell exactly what she was thinking about. Why was she so keen on leaving Hollywood? Did she really want to take college courses or did she just want to leave him? Was he that horrible of a person?

"No," she decided after a pregnant pause. "No…I wouldn't stay even if you asked me to."

"Sonny." He took her hands, refusing to let them go as she struggled to free them. "I know I hurt you by asking for that re-count, but I don't want you to leave Hollywood. You're an amazing actress; you don't need to have a college education. If you want one though, you could take classes here instead of moving away and-,"

"I can't stay here," Sonny argued. "Like I said, we're not good together. All I've ever done is hurt you, Chad. I can't do it anymore. You're free now. Free to fall in love with someone who isn't your enemy. Free to go back to dating your co-stars. Free to live in the spotlight without sharing it with anyone."

"But, Sonny, I-,"

"I need to go," the actress interrupted.

She climbed to her feet, scrambled to grab her coat, and fled the room without looking back. Chad sat in his bed, dumbfounded.

At least when Sonny broke up with him, he knew it wasn't goodbye. He would still see her around the studio and he hoped they could be friends. That wasn't going to happen if she moved back to Wisconsin. She might keep in contact at first, but Chad would get busy with his acting career and Sonny would get wrapped up in her homework and her new friends. Eventually, they would stop speaking.

With a heavy heart, Chad realized that unless he could change her mind, Sonny Munroe was going to leave him…

Forever.

* * *

_I already know, I can see it in your eyes when you're telling the truth  
Cause it's been a long time comin'  
So where you runin to?  
Tell me what to do, ohh, about you_

Chad did everything he could think of. He dropped by the So Random set, claiming he'd left something there. He stopped by Sonny's apartment. He stood up for her when the new girl – whatever her name was – claimed the audience at the Patio wouldn't like Sonny's music. He hired people to make sure Sonny won the bet. He fired the people when Sonny got upset. He even stayed home on the night he knew she was finally performing because he knew she'd never get through the song if he was there.

Nothing he did was helping. Sonny was still planning on leaving for Wisconsin.

Sonny, for her part, could see exactly what Chad was trying to do. Now that he understood she was leaving, he was ready to change. He couldn't do it when they were dating; no, he had to wait until the moment when she made up her mind to leave Hollywood.

_'He's faking,' _she told herself. _'Chad isn't really changing. He just wants you to stay. The second you say, 'Okay, I changed my mind: I'll stay here!', he'll go right back to the old Chad again.'_

Sonny didn't think anything of it when she received a phone call asking her if she'd be willing to do an interview. The reporters were beginning to figure out that she and Chad were no longer a couple; it made sense that the world wanted to know what was going on with Hollywood's favorite pairing. She agreed to the interview happily. It would be a great opportunity for her to let everyone know about her college plans.

She had no idea that Chad was behind everything. The phone call, the interview…It was all part of his grand plan, the last idea he had before giving up and allowing Sonny to leave peacefully. If this plan failed (which it wouldn't, of course. He was the one who came up with it and Chad Dylan Cooper's plans always worked), he would leave Sonny alone.

It was now or never.

* * *

_You've got your way of speaking  
Even the air you're breathin'  
You could be anything  
But you don't know what to believe in  
You got the world before you  
If I could only show you  
That you don't know what to do_

"Please give a warm welcome to Hollywood's very own Sonny Munroe!"

The applause was thunderous as Sonny made her way onto the stage. She waved at the audience and smiled brightly – until her eyes landed on the other side of the set, where her interviewer was sitting. There was a couch too, a couch where she was supposed to sit.

The only problem was, Chad was already sitting on it.

Sonny turned around quickly. She would tell the host she suddenly felt sick as soon as she stepped into the spotlight and that was why she avoided the interview. It wouldn't be a lie, exactly. Sonny's stomach really did churn the moment she noticed Chad.

Unfortunately, before she could get off the set, Chad sprang from the couch and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Sonny had no choice but to paste a fake smile to her lips as her ex pushed her across the stage. Apparently she was doing the show whether she wanted to or not.

The host, a lady in her late thirties named Wendy, shoved a microphone into Sonny's hands as soon as she and Chad were back on the couch. Sonny grimaced. Could they have found a smaller piece of furniture? Chad was practically sitting right on top of her!

"You must be a little surprised to see Chad Dylan Cooper here," Wendy said, laughing off Sonny's almost-exit. "I thought it would be a fun idea to keep his presence a secret. That way, everyone got to see your reaction when you finally saw him!"

"What a great surprise, Wendy!" Sonny said, glaring daggers at the actor sitting beside her. "See, there's actually a funny little story I'd like to share about Chad-,"

"I'm sure Wendy has more important issues to discuss right now," Chad jumped in before Sonny could say another word.

"I do have a few questions I was hoping the two of you would be able to answer," Wendy confirmed. "The first one is this: has Channy really broken up?"

"Yes," Sonny answered at the same time Chad shouted, "No way!"

The audience was silent as they tried to figure out which answer was the right one. Chad had never heard a live studio audience sit so quietly before.

"What my delusional friend is trying to say," Sonny explained, "Is that yes, we are broken up. Actually, I broke up with him a few weeks ago, just after the Tween Choice Awards."

A loud gasp emitted from the crowd. Chad was losing ground fast; he needed to fight back before his plan was completely blown.

"Okay, so maybe we are broken up now," he admitted. "How many people here think we should get back together?"

Every hand – including Wendy's and Chad's – shot into the air.

"Two can play this game, Cooper," Sonny muttered under her breath. Then, she smiled as she addressed the audience. "Let me ask you this: how many of you are dating egotistic people who only think about themselves and never put you first?"

This time, a smaller group – Wendy still included – raised their hand. Sonny stuck her tongue out in an 'I-told-you-so!' manner.

"How many egotistic jerks out there are willing to change if it means keeping the person they love?" Chad asked.

The hands that had gone up for Sonny's question fell as the other half of the crowd, the ones who were the egotistic people, threw their hands into the air.

"Sure, you can claim you're willing to change. Saying it is easier than doing it," Sonny pronounced. "How many of you actually believe the other person will follow through with their promise?"

Every hand stayed down.

"That's not fair!" Chad protested. "You can't just shoot the egotistic people down without giving them a chance!"

"Maybe," Sonny shot back, "They've already had plenty of time to change. Maybe their girlfriends are getting sick of waiting."

"Maybe their girlfriends need to stop and smell the roses so they can realize how good they really have it!"

Sonny scoffed. "What are you trying to say, Chad? That these couples who are suffering because of conceitedness are really the luckiest couples in the world?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying," Chad stated firmly, his eyes only looking into Sonny's. He needed her to hear this, to really listen to him. "All I'm saying is that some egotistic people don't realize how bad they are until it's too late. It takes their girlfriend breaking up with them to make them see how terrible they really are."

Sonny shifted her weight, studying her shoes.

"I don't know where you're going with this, Chad. You just said it yourself: it's too late by that point. They're already broken up."

"That doesn't mean they have to stay broken up!"

She couldn't handle the pressure. There were too many eyes watching her for Sonny to concentrate. She needed to get out while she still could, while she still stood a chance of making it backstage before the tears came.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled as she stood up. "I – I need to go."

"Allison Munroe!"

That was all it took to bring Sonny's feet to a sudden stop. Chad had never called her Allison before. 'Sonny' and 'Munroe' and 'm'lady' and 'sonshine' she was used to. No one ever called her by her first name.

"Before you leave here today, I want you to think about something," Chad ordered. "Don't think about the stupid re-count or anything I've ever done to upset you. I want you to think about the good times we've had together."

"Chad, I-,"

"You guys know that Sonny and I used to be rivals," Chad said, turning his attention back to the audience. "You know that we eventually fell in love. What you don't know is how that happened. Sonny and I…" He paused as he summoned the will to keep going. "There were a lot of hidden moments that led up to our relationship."

"Chad!" Sonny hissed, not believing a word she was hearing.

"Don't 'Chad' me, Munroe!" He closed the huge gap between them, taking her shoulders in his hands. "Think back to everything that led us to this moment. Every time we met up after work was done…All the almost-kisses…How we pretended to hate each other just to make our friends happy. Do you really want to throw all of that away, Sonny? Are you going to throw away everything we have just because I made one mistake?"

The memories poured in, each only pausing long enough for Sonny to recognize it before switching to a new one. She didn't want to remember them – she didn't want to see them play out now, not when she was supposed to be mad at Chad – but there was nothing she could do to stop them.

The game of Musical Chairs So Random played against Mackenzie Falls just after she joined the cast. The game she and Chad engaged in later without their cast mates.

Chad telling her she was welcome on the Mackenzie Falls set whenever she wanted to drop by.

How Chad had pretended to be her biggest fan.

The way he helped her study for her math test – which she passed – all because she wanted to keep her job on So Random.

The birthday cake she'd broken apart with her hands after he accused her of sabotaging it.

Playing Duck, Duck, Goose in the studio's parking lot with both casts.

The time Chad agreed to be her fake-date just so they could make James jealous and the fake kiss that Chad blogged about afterward.

Dancing together at prom, even though Chad hadn't been invited because he thought all proms were stupid.

The one (and only) time Chad admitted Sonny was better at acting than he was.

Staying in the Prop House all night in order to paint a wall, having a paint-war, and falling asleep while using Chad as her pillow.

Putting together Nico and Grady's birthday present (the super-cool chair) with Chad's help, then fighting over who got to spin in it first.

The serious discussion they had after Chad guest-starred on So Random when they decided they weren't ready to date yet, but maybe it would happen someday.

Appearing on Got'cha with Gilroy Smith.

How nervous they both were when it came to their first kiss.

Playing paint-ball one-on-one.

All these memories and so many more played through her head like a movie. They wouldn't stop no matter what Sonny did. She had to remain strong. She couldn't get back together with him just because they'd had a few happy times. She needed to remember the re-count and how he wouldn't let her be in the spotlight for even one day and…

…And what she really needed to do was get off the stage.

"Well?" Chad demanded, and Sonny could only guess at how long she'd been out of it. "Are you going to throw everything away or what?"

Without saying another word, Sonny ran.

Chad was speechless. His plan hadn't worked after all. The interview, the audience participation, begging Sonny to reminisce…It had all been for nothing. She still wasn't willing to give him another chance.

It looked like he really was going to have to step aside and let her go to Wisconsin.

* * *

_You think about it  
Can you ever change, finish what you've started  
Make me wanna stay, tired of conversation  
Show me something real, find out what your part is  
Play it how you feel_

Several days passed without Sonny and Chad seeing each other. She stopped coming to work. She wouldn't answer her phone, neither calls nor texts. It felt like she'd dropped off the face of the earth.

Chad tried to focus on his job. Mackenzie Falls' ratings were slowly beginning to drop and he knew if he didn't do something soon, he would be unemployed. With Grant replacing Mackenzie once and someone else taking his place while he was in the hospital, viewers were getting annoyed with the constant changes. So Random's viewers were soaring while the Falls fell farther and farther behind.

His life was falling apart at the seams.

He was sitting in his dressing room when he heard the knock. Wondering who would still be around at this time of night, Chad timidly called, "Come in." Who cared if it was a robber? It wasn't like he had much left for anyone to steal.

His back was facing the door, but he could see her reflection in his mirror. He paused, rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

Sonny Munroe was standing in his dressing room.

"I wasn't expecting to see you again," Chad commented without turning around. "I figured you would already be in Wisconsin by now."

"I'm leaving tonight," the actress – ex-actress actually, replied. "I thought I would say goodbye."

So that was what she wanted: to say farewell before leaving him behind forever. Well, Chad didn't need her charity.

"Don't bother," he said. "I'm sure my head is too big to care about you anymore, right? I'm too conceited, aren't I? I only care about Chad."

"You're not conceited," Sonny disagreed softly. "Tonight, you're just an idiot."

Now she wanted to insult him too? Leaving him for her new college life was one thing, but no one insulted Chad Dylan Cooper!

"Let's get one thing straight before you take off, Munroe," Chad said, finally facing the brunette as he closed the distance between them. "You can be as mad at me as you want to about our break-up. You can even blame me for it if you want to. I don't care. I used to care, but now I don't. You're leaving so I guess…I guess there's no reason for us to even have this conversation. What does it matter?"

"It does matter, Chad," Sonny stated, grabbing his wrist to keep him for turning around. "Every conversation we've ever had matters. Don't you get it?"

Chad stared at her, one eyebrow raised in the air. "Don't I get what?"

"That I'm only leaving because I love you too much!"

She threw her arms around his neck and, without giving Chad a chance to say anything or do anything that would stop her, she pressed her lips against his.

It was like the world stopped. All Chad could think about was how great it was to have Sonny in his arms again, to kiss her like there was no tomorrow. He wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her closer to him. He ran his hands through her hair, cupped her cheeks, touched every inch of skin that he could. He wanted to remember everything about this moment. Everything about Sonny was special and he never wanted to forget the way she could make him act like the world's biggest fool just by looking at him with her big brown eyes.

All too soon, the moment ended. Sonny pulled away and Chad was left with nothing but a cool gust of air. He always felt cold when Sonny wasn't with him. It was almost like she really had become his sun somehow, the only person capable of supplying him with the heat he needed to survive.

"I need to go."

"No!" Chad pulled on her hand, bringing Sonny back to him. "You just said you love me!"

"I do love you," Sonny repeated. "I just…We're not ready for this yet, Chad."

He couldn't believe it. Sonny was in love with him and he was in love with her. What was the problem? Why couldn't they be together?

"We're not ready for a relationship like this," Sonny said again. "We think we're in love, but are we really? We're so young and I can't help but wonder if maybe our hearts grew up before the rest of our bodies. Maybe we can make this work someday, but that day isn't today. We both need to grow up and figure out who we really are before we can commit to something this…this powerful. I'll go away and attend college for now. You'll stay here and work on your acting. If we're meant to be together…Well, it'll happen if it's meant to happen."

Chad's entire body was going numb.

"This is it," he stated what they both already knew. "This is really goodbye then."

"Not forever," Sonny assured him. "It's just goodbye for a few years."

A few years…this would feel like forever to Chad. He had no idea how he was going to make it without Sonny around. No one to go argue with when his day was going bad. No one to smile at him. No one to make him do all the things he never thought he'd do. Sonny Munroe was the only girl who had ever made him break his own rules. No one else was special enough to have laws broken for.

Sonny hugged Chad again. He held her for as long as he could, dreading the moment when he would have to let go. This, saying goodbye to a girl who he was supposed to hate and had been stupid enough to fall in love with instead, was the hardest thing he'd ever needed to do.

"I'll miss you," Sonny whispered weakly.

"I'll miss you too, Sonshine," Chad promised, kissing her cheek.

In two seconds flat, she ended the hug and ran from the room, refusing to look at Chad on her way out. That was it.

Sonny Munroe was officially gone.

Chad sat down in front of his mirror again, taking a moment to fix himself. His hair was messed up – Sonny must've ran her fingers through it without him noticing – and the collar of his shirt was wrinkled. He smirked; most girls couldn't get away with messing up Chad's clothes without him getting angry. That was one of the many perks he gave to only Sonny.

He picked up the tiny black box waiting patiently on the table. The ring inside glowed as Chad held it up to the light. It would look beautiful on Sonny's hand…

Someday.

"Yep," Chad muttered, smiling sardonically at his reflection. "I'll miss you too, Sonshine. More than you'll ever know."

_Tell me what to do, ohh_

_About you_

* * *

And that, my lovely readers, is the end.

Sonny is leaving so she can go to college.

Chad already stated Mackenzie Falls is losing fans, which partly explains why he would need to switch to So Random.

AND Channy still has feelings for each other. What will happen in the future when Sonny gets back from college? Will Chad ever learn how to let her share his spotlight? Will he meet someone else or will she meet another guy in college? Does that ring end up on Sonny's finger? Only time can tell, my dear friends.

I want to give a HUGE shout-out to everyone who has read this story! I know I wasn't always very fast with my updates. But you guys stuck with it anyway and I can't thank you enough. Each and every review I ever got has brought a smile to my face and given me the courage I needed to continue writing. Thank you to everyone!

PS. This was the first story I ever posted to FF. Four years later, I am happy to finally say:

I'M DONE!


End file.
